Vadsø
Vadsø (; sme, Čáhcesuolu; fkv, Vesisaari) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark County, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Vadsø, which was the administrative centre of the former Finnmark county. Other ...
, Norway) is a
Norwegian
Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to:
*Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe
* Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway
* Demographics of Norway
*The Norwegian language, including ...
jazz saxophonist known for her recordings of
jazz standards
Jazz standards are musical compositions that are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive list ...
.
Career
Raised in
Hammerfest
Hammerfest (; sme, Hámmerfeasta ) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. Hammerfest is the northernmost town in the world with more than 10,000 inhabitants. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Hammerfe ...
,she was taught music by her father, the accordion player Aksel Niska, and studied under the guidance of Kjell Bartholdsen, and ran the jazz club "Montenegro" (1979–89). After moving southward in Norway in 1990, Niska collaborated within the trio "Girl Talk" from 1992, the other members being
Tine Asmundsen
Tine Asmundsen (born 8 April 1963) is a Norwegian jazz bassist, known from her own band, Lonely Woman, playing with David Murray at Kongsberg Jazzfestival 2010.
Career
Asmundsen was born in Kongsberg, Norway. She started playing bass in Kongsb ...
(double bass) and Elizabeth Walker. They recorded the album ''Talkin' Jazz'' (1996). She formed the Bodil Niska Quartet, including
Per Husby
Per Husby (born 2 April 1949 in Oslo) is a Norwegian jazz pianist, composer, teacher, civil engineer, and orchestra leader.
Career
Husby was raised in Oslo together with other jazz enthusiasts like jazz journalist Knut Borge.Stig Hvalryg (bass) and Roger Johansen (drums), at the Oslo Jazz Festival in 2005. She is also known for her collaboration with Pete Brown Trio, including Scott Hamilton and Harry Allen.
Niska has established the "Bare Jazz" store in
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...
, and a record label by the same name. For her work she received "
Sildajazz
Sildajazz is a jazz festival, which is held annually on the second weekend of August, in Haugesund, Norway. The inaugural festival was in 1987.
Both domestic and international artists participate at the festival and each year an award Sildjazzpris ...
prisen" in 2005 and the Oslo Jazz Festival award "Ella-prisen" in 2009.
Honors
*2005:"
Sildajazz
Sildajazz is a jazz festival, which is held annually on the second weekend of August, in Haugesund, Norway. The inaugural festival was in 1987.
Both domestic and international artists participate at the festival and each year an award Sildjazzpris ...
prisen" at the Jazz Festival in
Haugesund
Haugesund () is a municipality on the North Sea in Rogaland county, Norway. While the population is greater in the neighboring Karmøy municipality, the main commercial and economic centre of the Haugaland region in northern Rogaland and southern ...
*2009: "Nordprofil-prisen
*2009: "Ella-prisen at Oslo Jazzfestival
Discography
Solo albums
*2000: ''First Song'' (
Hot Club Records
Hot Club Records is a jazz record label established 1982, by guitarist Jon Larsen in Oslo, Norway.Dregni, Michael (2008) ''Gypsy Jazz: In Search of Django Reinhardt and the Soul of Gypsy Swing'', OUP USA, , p. 229 The label has released over 350 ...
), including
Egil Kapstad
Egil Kapstad (6 August 1940 – 13 July 2017) was a Norwegian jazz pianist, composer and arranger. He wrote the music for more than 50 theatre productions, and composed for film and television drama. Kapstad composed classical works for orchestra ...
,
Bjørn Alterhaug
Bjørn Alterhaug (born 3 June 1945) is a Norwegian jazz bassist, arranger, composer and professor of music. Store Norske Leksikon (in Norwegian)
Career
Alterhaug was born in Mo i Rana, Norway. He is one of the grand masters among European bassp ...
and Pelle Hultén (contributions by Aksel Niska)
*2004: ''Blue'' (Bare Jazz Records), with Kapstad, Alterhaug, Hulten & Paul Wagnberg
*2008: ''Night Time'' (Bare Jazz Records), with Claes Crona Trio &
Staffan William-Olsson
Staffan William-Olsson (born 13 December 1959) is a Swedish jazz guitarist in the band The Real Thing who has worked with Bob Berg, Lee Konitz, and Palle Mikkelborg.
Career
He played piano, guitar and drums already at the age of 7, and stud ...
Collaborative works
*1993: ''Noe Som Har Hendt'' (
Kirkelig Kulturverksted Kirkelig Kulturverksted (KKV) is a Norwegian company and record label, founded in 1974 by Erik Hillestad. Among the musicians who have issued records on the label are Ketil Bjørnstad, Kari Bremnes, Erik Bye, Ole Paus, Sigvart Dagsland, Bjørn Eidsv ...
), with "Dronning Mauds Land»
*1996: ''Talkin' Jazz'' (Hot Club Records), within the trio "Girl Talk»
*2006: ''Sakte Sanger'' (Park Grammofon), with Anne Lande &