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Jaga Jazzist are on tour, playing LPR (2011 dates)

Jaga Jazzist at Oya 2009 (photo by Jan Erik Svendesen)
Jaga Jazzist

Plenty of your hipper bands might vary their influences list with acts like Tortoise, Charles Mingus, and the Neptunes just to prove they are cool. With the risky, sprawling, and somehow serene Jaga Jazzist, you can actually hear it. The ten-piece jazz-meets-electronics band from Norway came to life in 1994 when their main brain and songwriter, Lars Horntveth, was only 14. Two years later their debut album, Jævla Jazzist Grete Stitz, appeared, and Norwegians got their first taste of the band’s combination of jazz chops and electronic quirkiness. Two years after that the Magazine EP appeared, but it was 2001’s A Livingroom Hush that grabbed all the attention due to rave reviews and distribution by Warner Bros. in their homeland. Coldcut’s label, Ninja Tune, picked the album up for worldwide distribution in 2002 and BBC radio listeners crowned it the Jazz Album of the Year. The remix-based Animal Chin appeared at the end of 2002 and was followed in 2003 by Stix, an album that found the band using more electronics without the help of remixers. What We Must followed in 2005 before a five-year break took the band out of the studio and off the road. Jaga Jazzist returned in 2010 with One-Armed Bandit, featuring new recruit Stian Westerhus on guitar. [AllMusic]

Jaga Jazzist are now in the middle of a North American tour which will culminate on July 3 at Le Poisson Rouge. The NYC show is being opened by Doom Jazz (Jamie Saft and Bobby Previte). Tickets are still on sale.

Jaga Jazzist posted a video expressing their excitement when they announced the North American tour. Check that out along with some recent live videos, other Jaga Jazzist videos, and all tour dates, below…


Jaga Jazzist live at the Triple Door in Seattle 6/24/11

Jaga Jazzist – “Oslo Skyline” live in Vancouver 6/25/11

Lydverket spanderer: Jaga Jazzist – Toccata

Jaga Jazzist – 220 V / Spektral Live At Bylarm

AMERICA HERE WE COME

Jaga

Jaga Jazzist – 2011 Tour Dates
Tue 06/28/11 Cedar Cultural Center Minneapolis MN w/ Merlin Monroe
Wed 06/29/11 Lincoln Hall Chicago IL w/ Ken Camden, Abstract Science DJ Set
Thu 06/30/11 Phoenix Concert Theatre Toronto ON w/ Jesse Futerman
Fri 07/01/11 Festival International De Jazz Montreal PQ
Sat 07/02/11 Ottawa International Jazz Festival Ottawa ON
Sun 07/03/11 LPR New York NY w/ Doom Jazz