Moldejazz was founded by the local Storyville Jazz Club and has been supported by the government since 1961. It is the second-oldest jazz festival in Europe, as well as the most important event of its kind in Norway. The festival runs over a week every July, attracting about 60,000 attendees. The event features over 100 concerts and 500 artists.
Festival concerts take place in a variety of venues throughout Molde. For example, performances are held in music and cultural centers, historic buildings such as Molde Cathedral, and right on the city’s streets and squares. The main stage is an open-air stage located in the Romsdal Museum.
The Molde Jazz Festival kicks off at noon on the first day with the traditional street parade featuring young musicians aged 14 to 20. The parade is followed by a series of performances on free open-air stages, showcasing local musicians, up-and-coming artists and amateur bands. Famous musicians usually give paid concerts. Besides, some of the concerts offer free admission for children.
World-class jazz musicians and bands who have performed at the Moldejazz festival include Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Stephane Grappelli, Oscar Peterson, Modern Jazz Quartet, Dizzy Gillespie, Dianne Reeves, Bobby McFerrin, Charles Lloyd, John Scofield, and more. Many Norwegian artists, including Asmund Bjørken, Jan Garbarek, Karin Krog and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, have frequently visited Moldejazz. Bassist Bjørn Kjellemyr has performed at the festival for 17 years in a row!
Although Moldejazz focuses mainly on jazz, it also encompasses other genres and styles such as blues, pop and rock. Over the years, it has welcomed famous mainstream artists such as Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Gipsy Kings, B.B. King, Joe Cocker, Carlos Santana, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Patti Smith, Leonard Cohen, Missy Elliott, Sinead O’Connor, Janelle Monae, and others.
Photo: moldejazz.no
