About

Reykjavík Jazz festival proudly presents Reykjavík Big Band with Kathrine Windfeld.

This very exciting collaboration sees one of the brightest stars of big band composers and arrangers from a younger generation conduct the brilliant Reykjavík Big Band through a collection of her own pieces.

For locals the Reykjavík Big Band needs no introduction. The band’s history traces back more than 30 years and it has been a prominent force on the Icelandic jazz scene. With countless rave reviews from critics the Reykjavík Big Band has received the Icelandic Music Awards several times.

During more than three decades the Reykjavík Big Band has performed on more than 200 concerts and released 10 albums. Many local and international guest composers and conductors have worked with the band through the years. The band is known for its broad spectrum of projects whether it is premiering new Icelandic music, playing historically important big band music, hosting concerts for kids, playing with many of Iceland’s best pop music artists and the list goes on.

Kathrine Windfeld, a rising star on the European jazz scene, performed at Reykjavík Jazz with her sextet two years ago to high acclaim. This year listeners will hear her music in a broader sense with the Reykjavík Big Band.

The Guardian (UK) describes Kathrine Windfeld‘s compositions as a rare combination of delicacy and strength: A colorful meeting of sophisticated harmonic passages, driving grooves and poetic ballads that float into her explosive arrangements.

With her highly acclaimed three big band releases AIRCRAFT (2015), LATENCY (2017) and the recent ORCA (2020), Kathrine Windfeld ś name has quickly exceeded the borders of her Scandinavian home, leading to countless awards and raving reviews in international publications like Downbeat (USA), Le Monde (F) and Jazzthing (DE). On her latest album DETERMINATION (2021) she composed and arranged new music for the famous Bohuslän Big Band from Sweden. In the past Kathrine Windfeld has also worked with such bands as Danish Radio Big Band (DK) and Frankfurt Radio Big Band (DE).

“Kathrine Windfeld is a rising star on the European jazz scene, not least for her bold writing for her adventurous big band”
Jazzwise Magazine (UK)

“The music on Latency could pass for a top-notch American Big Band”
Downbeat (US)

“Kathrine Windfeld’s second album further establishes the Dane in the vanguard of new arranger-composers and bandleaders.”
All About Jazz (US)

“Ms. Windfeld is bound to have an important future.”
Doug Ramsey, Arts Journal (US)