— The Nordic song treasure.
When Solveig Slettahjell last performed at The Havlystparken Concerts, the evening was one of the summer's highlights. Now she is back — with the quartet behind the critically acclaimed album Gullokk from 2023: Andreas Ulvo on grand piano, Trygve Waldemar Fiske on double bass, and Pål Hausken on drums and percussion.
In Gullokk, Slettahjell compiled her favourites from the Scandinavian songbook — ranging from Grieg's Ved Rondane and Prøysen to Eva Dahlgren's Guldlock — treating them with the same love and irreverence that jazz has always shown 'The American Songbook'. This evening, the song collection will be infused with new, Norwegian-language material that Slettahjell is writing for the quartet's next album.
"Slettahjell is the jazz singer for those who are troubled by jazz singing"
— Jazz critic Stuart Nicholson in The Observer
This summer's Havlyst Concerts opened with Herborg Kråkevik's songbook. It is only fitting that they conclude with Slettahjell's treasury of Nordic songs — in the summer's final Etterspill. Welcome!
Solveig Slettahjell vocals
Andreas Ulvo piano
Trygve Waldemar Fiske double bass
Pål Hausken percussion
Duration approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. The concert has no intermission.
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Solveig Slettahjell has been one of the Nordic region's most prominent jazz vocalists for nearly 25 years. Since her debut with Slow Motion Orchestra in 2003, she has released a long series of critically acclaimed albums, and in 2020, she received the Buddy Award — the highest distinction in Norwegian jazz.
Andreas Ulvo has established himself as one of the country's most lyrical jazz pianists, with ten albums under his own name — from his breakthrough with Eple Trio to the solo album Lost in Space from 2023. His collaboration with Slettahjell dates back to her commissioned work for Vossajazz in 2010, and since 2019, he has been a prominent voice in the quartet.
Trygve Waldemar Fiske is among the most sought-after bassists in Norwegian jazz, known from, among others, Hanna Paulsberg Concept and his own quartet Waldemar 4. When his commissioned work Sanger til SeRa premiered with the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra during Moldejazz in 2023, it was met with a standing ovation and a top rating.
Pål Hausken is one of our most versatile percussionists, known from the trio In the Country and from Music for a While — who have visited us here at Ramme several times. Our audience also remembers him from last year's Slettahjell concert in Havlystparken, where In the Country performed on stage with Knut Reiersrud.
We wish you an enjoyable, unique concert experience with us. Welcome!
Photo: Agnete Brun (portrait) / Marius Dale