Fire fine nyheter til årets festival

Prepare for one of the coolest visual and auditory experiences you’ll have this year: Yussef Dayes. Known for his impeccable aesthetic sense and masterful projects, his drumming is nothing short of extraordinary. With an eclectic style and exciting choices—be it drum kits, clothing, hats, musicians, compositions, or music videos—Dayes consistently delivers something fresh and captivating. Together with some of the best musicians of his generation, his music speaks volumes: this is solid artistry, deeply rooted in the trends shaping European and British jazz right now.

Yussef Dayes made his international debut as part of the duo Yussef Kamaal with British pianist Kamaal Williams. Later, his collaboration with rising star Tom Misch propelled his career further, adding to his coolness and popularity on the global stage.

In recent years, Dayes has focused on his solo work, culminating in the release of Black Classical Music in 2023. This critically acclaimed album features 19 diverse compositions, with drums and bass prominently in the mix, referencing both European and American jazz traditions.

The album recently won the prestigious Ivor Novello Award for Best Album, cementing Dayes’ place as a leading force in contemporary jazz.

Catch Yussef Dayes at this year’s festival in Bjørnsonhuset—an unmissable experience!

At six years old, Fay Wildhagen received her first guitar and completely immersed herself in exploring the instrument. She sought out tonal variations, experimenting by retuning the guitar strings to develop new nuances in chords.

She learned the craft of songwriting by deconstructing songs by ear, always staying true to her own approach—it had to come from the heart. Over the past decade, Wildhagen has become a household favorite in the Norwegian music scene. Since releasing her debut album Snow on Warner Music in 2015, she has made giant strides in her career.

In addition to being nominated for Spellemann and P3 Gull awards for her early albums, Wildhagen has also composed film scores. This includes collaborations with Øyvind Mathisen (Harajuku, 2018) and Kristoffer Lo (Aksel, 2021). The former was nominated for an Amanda award, and the latter earned her the Music Publisher Prize.

In 2023, Wildhagen stood out as the producer of the compilation album Møtested – a tribute to Anne Grete Preus. On this project, she had the chance to collaborate with several musicians she had admired throughout her life, including Ole Paus and Ane Brun. Her work on this album earned her a Spellemann award. That same year, she completed her third album, Let’s Keep It in the Family, which was released the following year to glowing reviews. Wildhagen has shared that creating this album required her to rediscover herself. It was a challenging process, but, as she says, authenticity comes at a cost.

This year, Wildhagen appeared as a guest artist on the TV2 program Hver gang vi møtes alongside Astrid S. In February, she will play her first two concerts at the Opera House—both of which are sold out.

If you don’t want to miss this, you have every reason to find yourself in Alexandra Park when Fay Wildhagen and her band perform at Moldejazz 2025.

Desert blues in Alexandraparken – can it get any better?

Bombino, born in Niger in 1980, represents a musical tradition that has truly resonated with us Northerners. A few years ago, desert blues was a relatively unknown genre before bands like Tinariwen made their mark on the Norwegian and European music scene. Prior to that, only the most dedicated listeners of radio programs like Jungeltelegrafen or attendees of World Music festivals were familiar with this captivating genre, which has strong ties and references to Western blues and rock.

References to blues legends come rolling in when we talk about Bombino: Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Mark Knopfler, and more. You might also be familiar with other West African musicians renowned in the desert blues genre, such as Ali Farka Touré and Fatoumata Diawara. These are all exciting artists and sounds from West Africa that are absolutely worth exploring!

The nickname Bombino comes from the Italian word bambino, meaning "little child." It's a name that has stuck with Moctar since the early years of his career and followed him into international success as a guitarist and musician. Over the past year, Bombino has performed in Norway and been linked to blues legend Knut Reiersrud. His concerts are known for giving the audience a true boost of energy and inspiration!

ULD is the acronym for the trio that slipped past the blood-brain barrier of an unsuspecting Norwegian music scene in 2024: Une, Lucia, and Dagny.

While there’s a certain kinship to bands like Morgonrode, Masåva, Haim, and First Aid Kit, ULD resembles little else. It’s a creation entirely of its own.
Full of sliding notes and raw nerve, the music weaves its way like sound ninjas into your system. The bedroom sound and the atmosphere of a dark, cold, and drafty 1890s farmhouse collective seep through their work.

Their music also carries the vulnerability of an equally drafty and uncertain world—and an impulse to reach out to others. It’s the sound of friendship. That ULD’s music resonates with the other human animals of our time is no surprise at all.

The impact they’ve already made speaks volumes: Sondre Lerche wants to perform with them. Their greatest musical idol, Susanne Sundfør, slid into their Instagram inbox with words of praise and support. Meanwhile, the legendary Mari Boine has quietly hired ULD to open for her at the Opera House in Bjørvika—not once, but three times.

Their EP, Fra en annen virkelighet (From Another Reality), released in October 2024, unsurprisingly received glowing reviews in Morgenbladet and Klassekampen. Ida Madsen Hestmann wrote in TBA that the EP is “crafted within an interpersonal context that can both be heard and felt.”

Perhaps it’s for the same reason that so many have been drawn to the poetry of Gunvor Hofmo, whose work was masterfully interpreted by artist Susanna—and whose words ULD has also reimagined on their EP.

We are immensely proud to present ULD at Moldejazz 2025.

Une Lorentze Onarheim – vocals
Lucia Andreadatter Utnem – piano
Dagny Braanen Lindgren – accordion