Jøkleba is back!

When the band members in Jøkleba chose to end their corporation after a concert at Finsejazz in 2005, everyone thought that this was a closed chapter. The trio with Per Jørgensen, Audun Kleive and Jon Balke had, according to many, been the most creatively exciting and interesting on the Norwegian, and even European Jazz scene since 1991. But then the end was there. Or so we thought. And so did Jøkleba.

We can thank disease, a canceled opening concert, the release of a never released album, a press conference that perhaps would take place and a resourceful festival, for the fact that we can present Jøkleba at Victoria, this fall. With just a week's notice, and after some hectic rehearsal days, they suddenly appeared on stage and opened Vossajazz 2011! This was, as expected, an enormous success. Jazz Norway was euphoric, ecstatic, fanatical, now it begins! But after the Vossajazz concert it was silent. Was it a one-time stunt, would Jøkleba actually get back together? No one knew. Not even Jøkleba knew.

Until now.

National jazz scene has begged and prayed, others have undoubtedly done the same but now it’s finally confirmed: Jøkleba is back. In November, they’ll play again at Victoria. This will certainly be one of the biggest highlights of the year.

Jøkleba was formed in 1991, after Jon Balke had heard the Polish trumpet player Tomasz Stanko in a trio lacking a bass. Balke wanted to achieve something similar and got in touch with Per Jørgensen and Audun Kleive. Jøkleba’s music is known to be airy and floating, rhythmic and insistent, but always melodic and listener friendly. The sound switches between the organic and the synthetic and acoustic and electronic, and creates an atmosphere where one - to paraphrase Anja Garbarek - can see the reflection of technology’s blue lights in the instruments’ timber.

So remember, Friday 23th of November, Jøkleba at Victoria, National Jazz scene. We encourage everyone to book their tickets well in advance, for there will be a huge demand for seats!