ES Sextet & Marína Ósk (IS)

The jazz sextet of the father and son Stefán Ómar Jakobsson and Eiríkur Rafn Stefánsson will perform at the Jazz Festival with the vocalist Marína Ósk. The ES Sextet originates from the band Stebbi Ó. Sextet, founded in 2012 with the aim of playing well-known swing tunes. Soon after, the band began performing concerts and dances throughout the capital area, as well as being invited to play at annual festivals such as the Arctic Lindy Exchange. After a short hiatus, the band regrouped last summer under a new name and enlisted the vocalist Marína Ósk. The sound of the band can be described as rich and dense with a steadfast big band swing. Marína Ósk’s warm and crisp vocal style recalls the old times and complements the sextet’s style perfectly. The band’s arrangements draw from the legacy of hard-bop bands as well as big bands, promising entertaining, swinging performances. They will play well-known swing tunes along with new arrangements by band members featuring Marína’s material.

The members of the ES Sextet are:
Stefán Ómar Jakobsson on bass
Eiríkur Rafn Stefánsson on trumpet
Björgvin Ragnar Hjálmarsson on tenor saxophone
Vignir Þór Stefánsson on piano
Jón Rafnsson on bass
Scott McLemore on drums.

Vocalist Marína Ósk has released two solo albums and recently won the Icelandic Music Awards (2023) for works from her latest album, “One Evening in July,” with her music streamed over 2 million times. She is currently working on her next album, performing at events and concerts, and teaching singing at the LHÍ (Icelandic Academy of the Arts).