Urban Connection is a Norwegian jazz trio who have released three albums. For their first album in 2001, they received a

Spellemannprisen Spellemannprisen, often referred to as the Norwegian Grammy Awards in English, is a Norwegian music award presented to Norwegian musicians. The award was established by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), an organizati ...

. In 1998, they were awarded the title of "Young Jazz Musicians of the Year" at Norway’s

Molde International Jazz Festival Molde International Jazz Festival (MIJF) or Moldejazz (established 1961 in Molde) takes place annually in July, and is known as one of the oldest jazz festivals in Europe. It was initiated by the local Storyville Jazz Club. Since 1964 it has rec ...

(Moldejazz). As part of Moldejazz, Urban Connection have visited several major European festivals, including the

Montreux Jazz Festival The Montreux Jazz Festival (formerly Festival de Jazz Montreux and Festival International de Jazz Montreux) is a music festival in Switzerland, held annually in early July in Montreux on the Lake Geneva shoreline. It is the second-largest annual ...

, the

North Sea Jazz Festival The North Sea Jazz Festival is an annual festival held each second weekend of July in the Netherlands at the Ahoy venue. It used to be in The Hague but since 2006 it has been held in Rotterdam. This is because the Statenhal where the festival wa ...

, and the

Istanbul Jazz Festival The Istanbul Jazz Festival, formerly Istanbul Festival, ( tr, İstanbul Caz Festivali) is a cultural event held every July in Istanbul, Turkey. It offers a selection of jazz music performances with the participations of famous artists from all o ...

. They released their first album, ''Urban Connection'', on 15April 2001, and were awarded the

as best Jazz record of the year. For their next album. ''French Only'' (23March 2002), they had a release concert at the

Ole Bull Academy The Ole Bull Academy ( no, Ole Bull Akademiet, established 1977 in Voss, Norway) is a Norwegian music college that offers college-level courses on Norwegian folk music and folk dance. Today, the Academy educates about 700 students annually, and o ...

Voss Voss () is a municipality and a traditional district in Vestland county, Norway. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Vossevangen. Other villages include Bolstadøyri, Borstrondi, Evanger, Kvitheim, Mjølfjell, ...

during the Vossajazz Festival. Their third album, ''UC 3'', was released on 13December 2005; on their tour, they visited

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tota ...

, Japan, China,

Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is ma ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...

and the

Baltic countries The Baltic states, et, Balti riigid or the Baltic countries is a geopolitical term, which currently is used to group three countries: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. All three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the Eurozone, ...

. Of ''U3,'' Tomas Lauvland Pettersen of the Norwegian jazz magazine ''Ballade'' wrote, "Their take on modern Konitzesque jazz is highly integral and utterly convincing". When they reformed in 2012 for a reunion concert, they received positive acclaim.

Members

Steinar Raknes Steinar Raknes (born 22 March 1975) is a Norwegian jazz musician (upright bass) and composer, and the younger brother of Jazz singer and pianist Eldbjørg Raknes. He is considered to be one of the most talented double bass players of his generat ...

(Double bass) *

Håkon Mjåset Johansen Håkon Mjåset Johansen (born 1 August 1975 in Trondheim, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz drummer and composer, known from playing with the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra featuring Chick Corea at Moldejazz 2000, cooperations with Bugge Wesseltoft's New ...

(Drums) *

Frode Nymo Frode Nymo (born 27 November 1975), is a Norwegian jazz musician ( alto Saxophone), and older brother of the tenor sax. player Atle Nymo. Career Nymo was born in Egersund and brought up in Valnesfjord, near Fauske. Early in his career, he wa ...

(Saxophone)

Honors

*1998 – Young Jazz Musicians of the Year,

Moldejazz Molde International Jazz Festival (MIJF) or Moldejazz (established 1961 in Molde) takes place annually in July, and is known as one of the oldest jazz festivals in Europe. It was initiated by the local Storyville Jazz Club. Since 1964 it has r ...

*2001 – Jazz

for ''Urban Connection''

Discography

*2001: '' Urban Connection'' (Bergland Productions) *2002: ''

French Only ''French Only'' (released 2002 in Oslo, Norway by Bergland Production/Bare Bra Musikk – BE0062) is a Jazz album by the Norwegian Jazz band Urban Connection, also this time with Steinar Raknes compositions for the most. Review ''French Onl ...

'' (Bergland Productions) *2004: '' UC 3'' (Bergland Productions)

Notes and references

External links

*
Bergland Productions site

MIC Profile (Norwegian)
1996 establishments in Norway Musical groups established in 1996 Musical groups from Trondheim Norwegian jazz ensembles Norwegian musical trios Spellemannprisen winners {{Jazz-band-stub

Members

Honors

Discography

See also

Notes and references

External links