Samstarfsverkefni jazzhljómsveita í Norður-Atlantshafi í sumar.
Við styrkjum tengslin við jazzfrændur okkar í Færeyjum. Tónleikasamstarf Skarkala og Magnus Quartet mun leiða til annara verkefna í framtíðinni.
Magnus Johannessen hefur lengi vakið athygli fyrir lýrískan píanóleik sinn og hefur í auknu mæli starfað sem útsetjari og tónsmiður.
Tríóið Skarkali var stofnað sumarið 2013. Áður hafa liðsmenn spilað saman í mörgum hópum við hin ýmsu tilefni eftir að hafa kynnst í Tónlistarskóla FÍH. Þaðan hafa þeir allir útskrifast á síðustu árum. Skarkali flytur aðallega frumsamda jazztónlist eftir Inga Bjarna þar sem fjölbreytnin er höfð í fyrirrúmi. Fágaður bassaleikur Valdimars og kraftmikill trommuleikur Óskars setja tónlistina á hærra plan!
Í fyrra spilaði Skarkali á Jazzhátíð Reykjavíkur og tók síðan þátt fyrir Íslands hönd í Young Nordic Jazz Comets sem haldin var í Þrándheimi, Noregi.
Magnus Johannessen – pianó
Ólavur Olsen – trompet
Mikael Blak – bassi
Rógvi á Rógvu – trommur
Ingi Bjarni Skúlason – píanó
Valdimar Olgeirsson – bassi
Óskar Kjartansson – trommur
A band of up and coming jazz musicians, who represented Iceland in the Young Nordic Jazz Comets in Trondheim last September to critical acclaim. Skarkali is refining their style for upcoming recordings.
Contemporary jazz musician, Magnus Johannessen is best known for his lyrical playing and melodic perspective. However in recent years, he has emerged as a composer and orchestrator.
Having worked and studied in Denmark, Iceland and the Faroes the past two decades, Magnus is clearly inspired by the Nordic jazz sound. A sound represented by a lonesome and haunting tone, space and improvised with the countries traditional folk music.
In addition to being inspired by the Nordic jazz sound, represented by a lonesome and haunting tone, space and traditional folk music, Magnus has also drawn much inspiration from jazz icons Bill Evans and Kenny Wheeler, Lyle Mays’ soundscaping, and the minimalism of Arvo Part. Magnus has managed to combine these sounds and personify a musical signature through his own harmonic instinct and lyrical playing.
Magnus has a vast musical experience which makes him a versatile and a sought after musician. He has worked on stages all over Europe – both large and small. Moreover, Magnus has studied music at the IMU school of Music in Reykjavik. In 2001, Magnus got recognition from his peers, when he was nominated to the Nordic Council’s Music Prize in 2001, along with renowned musicians Palle Mikkelborg, Bobo Stenson and Benny Andersson.
Magnus is well-versed in the mechanics of jazz, theatrical music, modern pop music trends, and experimental sounds. All of this is incorporated into a distinctive sound that is characteristically Northern, however universally appealing.
