Jaga Jazzist

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Jaga Jazzist is an experimental jazz band that rose to prominence when the BBC named their fourth album, The Stix (Ninja Tune/Smalltown Supersound), the best jazz album of 2002. In their native Norway, Jaga Jazzist became well known in 2001 after their third record, A Livingroom Hush (Warner Music) sold unexpectedly well. The core of the band are brothers and main songwriters Lars and Martin Horntveth, who formed Jaga Jazzist while still in their teens in 1994. They are also prominent figures of the Norwegian pop act The National Bank.

The band feature trumpets, trombone, electric guitar, bass, tuba, bass clarinets, Fender Rhodes, vibraphone and a rack of electronics, as well as strong melodies and rhythms. Talk Talk, Soft Machine, John Coltrane, Don Cherry, Aphex Twin, Stereolab, Squarepusher and Tortoise are frequently mentioned as sources of inspiration. Jaga Jazzist is widely considered to be one of the premier acts of the so-called nu-jazz movement of Scandinavia. Also, The Mars Volta cites Jaga Jazzist as one of their favourite bands.

Recently, an episode of the anime IGPX featured the song For All You Happy People as background music for one scene.

[edit] Members 1994-2006

Harald Frøland (Guitar) 1994-2005, 2006 -
Ivar Chr. Johansen / Ravi (Trumpet + vocals), 1994 – 2001
Jonas Bendiksen (Keyboards), 1994 - 1997
Lars Horntveth (Tenor Saxophone) 1994 -
Lars Wabø (Trombone) 1994 -2005
Line Horntveth (Tuba) 1994 -
Mads Jansen (Trombone)1994
Marius Hesby (Trombone) 1994
Martin Horntveth (Drums + vocals)
Andreas Mjøs (Guitar + drums) 1994 -
Marius Hesby (Trombone) 1994
Thomas Viken (Tenor Saxophone) 1994
Lars Erik Myran (Bass) 1994
Even Ormestad (Bass), 1995 -
Jørgen Munkeby (Alto Saxophone) 1995 - 2002
Håvard Myklebust (Trombone) 1996
Torgeir Audunson (Trumpet) 1996-1997
Bjørn Strand (Tenor Saxophone) 1997
Sjur Miljeteig (Trumpet) 1997
Mathias Eick (Trumpet) 1998 -
Morten Qvenild (Keyboards) - 2001
Ketil Einarsen (flutes, keys, percussion) 2002 – 2005, 2006 -
Andreas Hessen Schei (keys) 2002- 2005, 2006 –
Nils Martin Larsen (Keyboards) 2005
Anders Hana (Guitar + fx ) 2005
Erik Johannessen (Trombone + percussion) 2005 -

[edit] Discography

Albums:

Grete Stitz (1996)
A Livingroom Hush (2001)
The Stix (2003)
What We Must (2005)

EPs:

Magazine (1998)
Airborne/Going Down (2001)
Animal Chin (2003)
Day (2004)

Mathias Eick, Lars Horntveth and Jørgen Munkeby have also collaborated with Motorpsycho on their release "In The Fishtank 10" (2003), billed as Jaga Jazzist Horns.