If you get the feeling that Paal Nilssen-Love is there in person wherever jazz is being played, don’t panic: you are not alone. With hundreds of travel days per year and at least ten projects on the go at any given time, it is safe to say that the man is a hard worker. What’s more, if someone has been travelling, they often bring something new home in their suitcase. Nilssen-Love’s passion for non-western music forms is renowned – from Ethiopian funk, to Brazilian rhythms, to traditional Griot music from Mali and Senegal – you name it! This passion was very evident on his album entitled “Ethiobraz”, which was released in 2019 in collaboration with another of his larger ensembles, Large Unit.
Oslo World must have liked what they heard, because they immediately booked him to perform at their festival the following year! The result was Circus, where we meet an unusually strong team of musicians with at least one foot in the impro-/free jazz camp, and who are most certainly not afraid to clamber over a few genre fences if necessary. Guitarist Oddrun Lilja demonstrated very clearly, for instance, that the entire world is her musical playpen. We are proud to announce that PNL Circus are coming to Maijazz!
Right in the centre of the circus ring, ready to sound the gong, we naturally find the director himself. He is ready. The lights are dimmed. May we ask for complete and utter silence!
Julia Venter – on vocals
Thomas Johansen – on trumpet
Signe Emmeluth – on saxophone
Oddrun Lilja – on guitar
Kalle Moberg – on accordion
Christian Meaas Svendsen – on bass
Paal Nilssen-Love – on drums and percussion.
Time and place:
10th. May, 22.00 pm, at Folken