Reykjavik BIG BAND
The Reykjavík Big Band was formed in February 1992. The main instigator was Sæbjörn Jónsson, the bands main conductor from the beginning until 1999. At that point a new chapter began in the band’s history and since then the band has mostly worked with leading personalities on the local jazz scene and foreign guest conductors
Members
The band counts 17 instrumentalists; 5 saxophones, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones and a four piece rhythm section. Since the fall of 2023 the rhythm section posts have been open and players hired according to projects.
Projects and releases
Over the last three decades the band has held over 300 concerts all over Reykjavík, most of them at Harpa Concert House, where the band has recited since 2012. The band has also performed at various other locations in Iceland, in Denmark and Sweden. The bands projects reflect a very broad spectrum of music; there is new and progressive music by local composers and foreign guests. There is cooperation with popular artists from the Icelandic pop scene and there is music for children and there is music for older people. The band has released 12 CDs, many of them in cooperation with local composers. The band usually plays 6-8 concerts per year.
Concerts
Each year there is at least one concert where pieces by various local composers are premiered, one concert with an exciting foreign guest composer/conductor and one or two with historically important music from various periods and at least one project specially aimed at children and their families. On top of that the band organises an annual big band marathon where all the nations big bands, young and old, come together and play for a half hour each. Thus the Reykjavík Big Band aims to connect generations and promote big band music of all kinds in Iceland. On the whole the band strives to present a highly varied and ambitious program each year while making sure to cover all the categories mentioned above.
Guests
Many foreign guest conductors have worked with the band over the years. Amongst them are Americans Maria Schneider, Bob Mintzer, Frank Foster, Dick Oatts, Tim Hagans, Bill Holman, John Fedchock Greg Hopkins, John Hollenbeck, Andrew D’Angelo and Travis Sullivan. Also key personalities on the Scandinavian big band scene such as: Geir Lysne, Helge Sunde, Ole Kock Hansen, Eero Koivistonen, Lars Jansson, Fredrik Norrén, Jesper Riis, Nikolaj Bentzon, Ulf Adåker, Lasse Lindgren, Daniel Nolgård og Pétur Östlund. German composers Maria Baptist, Ansgar Stripens have also worked with the band as well as the German/Icelandic Stefan Karl Schmid.
Amongst the local singers and popular artists who have worked with the band are Bubbi Morthens, Andrea Gylfadóttir, Ragnar Bjarnasyni, Bogomil Font, Egill Ólafsson, Björgvin Halldórsson, Sölka Sól, Páll Óskar Hjálmtýson and Kristjana Stefánsdóttir, Jón Jónsson, Friðrik Dór, Katrín Halldóra Sigurðardóttir and Helgi Björns. Amongst local conductors are Sigurður Flosason, Samúel J. Samúelsson, Þórir Baldursson, Snorri Sigurðarson Stefán S. Stefánsson, Hilmar Jensson and Kjartan Valdemarsson.
