Hi everyone!

I’d like to direct your attention to a tour I’ll be taking part in in April called “Moor International Jazz 2012″. There are three bands taking part in it that are all led by former members of the European Jazz Orchestra (I was part of last year’s edition). We’ll be playing in Oslo, Cologne and Rotterdam, and apart from my band there’s Pablo Held Trio, one of Germany’s hottest new piano trios and Marike Van Dijk, who is currently pursuing her second jazz master at New York University. I’ll be bringing along a special edition of my band for the occasion, featuring Estonian bass player Peedu Kass. He’s a great player – you don’t want to miss it!

I especially hope the home crowd will be good here in Oslo – we’ll be playing at Caféteatret, April 17th at 2000hrs, and tickets are only 100kr. A bargain if only one of these bands was playing!

MINT JAZZ 2012 (Moor International Jazz) presents:

Marike van Dijk Quartet (NL)
Hayden Powell Trio (NO) with Peedu Kass (EST)
Pablo Held Trio (DE)

April 17th 2012, Caféteatret in Oslo, Norway
April 18th 2012, Stadtgarten in Cologne, Germany
April 19th 2012, Lantaren Venster in Rotterdam, The Netherlands

 

We’ve been having a great time on our tour this week, and have played concerts in Brønøysund, Mo i Rana and Bodø already. I’m happy to be playing with such a great band, and really grateful that so many people have put in such a lot of energy to organize the concerts. Tonight we’re playing in Vadsø, and this will be the most northerly concert I’ve ever played. The plane ride here from Bodø took us through Tromsø, Kirkenes and Vardø, and the weather allowed for great sightseeing although the wind made it a bumpy ride. There’s a special atmosphere up here in Vadsø, and the soundcheck gave a good vibe. So hopefully tonight will be another highlight!

There’s a nice little story about tonight’s gig. About 10 years ago I had the my first gig with a and bearing my own name, in Geiranger with tubaist Daniel Herskedal and guitarist Espen Bjarnar. After the gig Kjell Magne Stålsett from Varangerfestivalen (Vadsø jazz festival) gave me his card and told me to call him about a gig at the festival. For some reason, I didn’t call him (I was young and inexperienced!). But anyway, he mentioned it when I met him again earlier today, so maybe that was part of the reason for them booking us this time :-) .

The pictures attached are from traveling and the sound checks in Brønnøysund, Mo i Rana and Bodø. They’re mainly taken by my pianist Eyolf Dale.

 

Just as we’re setting off for our tour of North Norway, The Attic has started getting some international attention. In a short but positive review, Downbeat (US) calls the album a “strong representation of the contemporary Norwegian music scene”. The Swedish magazine Lira is also enthusiastic, comparing me to the North Sea oil as another reason Sweden has to envy their neighbor to the west. (That’s a new one!)

You’ll find the articles in the menu to the right.

 

I’m really looking forward to taking my band on tour next week during Vinterjazz, and have been spending the last week practicing and writing some new material. The band is usually a trio, so I’m extra excited about the addition of Per Oddvar Johansen on drums, making it a quartet. We’ll be practicing tomorrow and flying up to Brønnøysund on Tuesday for the first gig so check back (or subscribe!), and I’ll try to keep the tour updates coming!

Hayden Powell – trumpet
Eyolf Dale – piano
Jo Skaansar – bass
Per Oddvar Johansen – drums
Lars Petter Dahl – sound

A big thank-you to Brynjar Rasmussen at Nordnorsk Jazzsenter for organizing the tour.

Dates:
Tuesday 7th of February: Brønnøysund (Brønnøy Jazzforum)
Wednesday 8th of February: Mo i Rana (4/4 forum for takt og tone)
Thursday 9th of February: Bodø (Sinus/Ad-lib Jazzklubb)
Friday 10th of February: Vadsø (Et Kult Sted/Vadsø Jazzklubb),
Saturday 11th of February: Tromsø (Tromsø Jazzklubb)

www.vinterjazz.no

 

Norway’s jazz magazine Jazznytt recently gave The Attic a good review. In short, their reviewer Arild Rønsen describes the music as “jazz of the highest quality” , praises the planning and use of changing constellations, and credits me for developing a modern and personal expression without the use of electronics. Nice!

Read the full review here (in Norwegian)

 

 

Hayden Powell will do a tour of Northern Norway in February 2012. The band will consist of Hayden’s regular trio with Eyolf Dale on piano and Jo Skaansar on bass, as well as drummer Per Oddvar Johansen, who will join the group for this tour.

The tour is organized and supported by Nordnorsk Jazzsenter (the Northern Norwegian Jazz Association) and will visit the following towns:

7.02 – Brønnøysund: Brønnøy Jazzforum
8.02 – Mo i Rana: 4/4 Forum for takt og tone
9.02 – Bodø Ad Lib Jazzklubb ”SINUS”
10.02 – Vadsø: Vadsø Jazzklubb ”Et Kult Sted”
11.02 – Tromsø: Lillescenen Tromsø Kulturhus

 

Hayden Powell Trio’s concert in Molde was reviewed by Romsdals Budstikke and given a 6/6! Read the review here

Also, I was recently interviewed by the same paper

 

 

I’m about to tour with my trio, to follow up the release of my debut album The Attic. Hope to see you at one of the concerts!

The dates are:
16.Oktober, 1630hrs: Jazz på Jølst (Jølster)
20.Oktober, 2000hrs: Storyville Jazz Club, Molde
21.Oktober, 2000hrs: Volsdalen Kirke, Ålesund
22.Oktober, 2100hrs: Café Onkel, Kristiansund
23.Oktober, 1400hrs: Dokkhuset, Trondheim (Jazzfest.ung)

Hayden Powell Trio: Hayden Powell – trumpet, Eyolf Dale – piano, Jo Skaansar – bass. Rune Neergard will play bass in Molde and Ålesund

Tickets: 150/100kr.
The concerts are supported by Norsk Jazzforum and MFOs Vederlagsfond.

Also, please check out the new album! It’s available at my webshop, through iTunes, Wimp, Spotify or any online music store.

 

More reviews for Hayden Powell – The Attic:

“Det er energi og nerve i spillet” 5/6 (Peter Larsen, Bergens Tidende)

“Står støtt på egne bein” 5/6 (Petter Petterson, Romsdals Budstikke)

“Det er ikke lett å markere seg i Norges mangfold av kreative jazztrompetister. Hayden Powell gjør det – ikke ved elektronikk a la Molvær eller fløyteimitasjon a la Arve Henriksen, men rett og slett ved fulltonende varmt trompetspill med dype jazzhistoriske røtter” (Erling Wicklund, NRK Jazz)

“Hayden Powell gir ut sitt første album under eget navn – med bravur” 4/6 (Trygve Lundemo, Adresseavisa)

“Powell ble en del av min høstsang” (Lasse Haugen, Jazzblogg.no)

 

The first reviews of “The Attic” are here!

“Sterk debut fra stortalent” (Terje Mosnes, Dagbladet)

“«The Attic» er moderne, akustisk norsk jazz av beste merke, original og – går det an å bruke det formastelege ordet intelligent?” (Roald Helgheim, Dagsavisen)

“”The Attic” har blitt en debut av usedvanlig sjelden kvalitet” (Tor Hammerø, Nettavisen)

“Komponistbegavelsen har også resultert i originalitet” (Per Ivar Henriksbø, Gudbrandsdølen Dagningen)

 

My new album The Attic has just been delivered and will be avaliable on September 16th.

There will be a release concert at Nasjonal Jazzscene Victoria here in Oslo on the same date, and I’m working hard on the preparations. Hope to see as many as possible there!

Hayden Powell – The Attic
(Inner Ear/INEA13)

Hayden Powell – trumpet
Jo Skaansar – bass
Eyolf Dale – piano
Jasper van Hulten – drums
Tore Brunborg – tenor saxophone
Erik Johannessen – trombone
 

My own album Hayden Powell – The Attic is almost ready and will be released on september 16th!

The release concert will be held on the same date at Nasjonal Jazzscene Victoria here in Oslo, hope to see you all there!

Here is a taste from The Attic: Off Guard