by Patrik Sandberg, OrkesterJournalen,
for Europe Jazz Media, http://europejazzmedia.net/
The new Europe Jazz Media initiative: once every season, our writers recommend forthcoming jazz festivals in their country or region and share their recommendations with the readers of all member media!
July 1-3: Bangen Jazz & Blues Festival, Sandviken
Currently in its 26th edition, this festival features mainly Swedish acts in every genre, most of them outdoors, under a large tent in Sandviken City Park. This year’s lineup includes Kristin Amparo, Jan Allan, Carin Lundin, Jan Lundgren / Harry Allen Group, Ebbot Lundberg, Svante Thuresson, Klas Toresson, Andreas Weise, Robben Ford and many others.
July 28-30: Falkenbergs Jazzdagar (Falkenberg Jazz Days)
Since 1989, this outdoor festival is being held in July in the garden at Hwitans Inn in Falkenberg, known as a seaside resort, mainly featuring Scandinavian artists. But the garden stage is not all that is happening during the Jazzdagar: every day young talent play jazz in town, there’s an exhibition of jazz photographer Rolf Olsson’s works, jam sessions, and more. The 2016 lineup includes Louise Hoffsten, Clas Yngström, Cecilia Ringqvist, Ladies Got The Blues, Randy Brecker with Ewan Svensson trio, Vivian Buczek – Hannah Svensson – Anna Pauline “All that Vocal Jazz”, Peter Asplund / Lars Jansson Quartet, Liane Caroll, Scott Hamilton, Jan Lundgren tribute to Jan Johansson, Hannah & Ewan Svensson etc.
August 3-7: Ystad Sweden Jazz Festival
The 7th edition of YSJF, Sweden’s largest jazz festival during the summer period, is running for five days on eight different stages with a wide range of featured Scandinavian and international acts in different genres, from big band to fusion, and from modern jazz to swing. The festival’s artistic director is Swedish pianist and composer Jan Lundgren. Different environment at each of 8 stages reinforces the impression: Ystad Theater, Per Helsa’s Courtyard, Ystad Art Museum, Hos Morten Café, Ystad Saltsjöbad Spa, Scala Movie Theater, Mariakyrkan Church and Surbrunn Park. The 2016 eclectic lineup includes Joe Lovano with Bohuslän Big Band, Bob James, Hugh Masekela, Avishai Cohen Trio, Marlene VerPlanck, Dave Liebman, Michael Wollny Trio, Heinz Sauer, Joachim Kühn. Mare Nostrum (Richard Galliano, Paolo Fresu and Jan Lundgren), Bill Mays, Bob James and Bob Dorough, Bernt Rosengren, Christina von Bülow, Oddjob, Jacob Fischer, Tuesday Night Brass Band, Mads Mathias, Filip Jers, Ulf Wakenius, Karin Hammar, Hanna Paulsberg, Vivian Buczek, Hannah Svensson, Anna Pauline and many more.
August 3-7: Hagenfesten, Hagen, Dala-Floda
12th edition of Hagenfesten is not a festival. It is a feast, state the organizers; “it started because of the need of a gathering – a gathering of ideas, friends, friends of friends…” On a family farm in the region of Dalarna in Sweden, there’s a barn, a pigsty, a sauna, a huge outdoor kitchen, seven outhouses, and two wells. What more do you need? Since the first festival in 2003, these ingredients, with the addition of a whole lot of fearless, stubborn and sturdy activism and construction work, have transformed the grounds. New for this year is that the names of all artists (around 40 musicians, dancers, performers, poets, visual artists) will only be revealed at the very moment of their performance. Why? “Because we are tired of using names as temptations”, say the organizers. A festival for adventurers, for sure.
