Shining’s Jørgen Munkeby to perform with string ensemble

While in California to promote Shining’s new album One One One earlier this year, the Norwegian Blackjazz band’s composer Jørgen Munkeby wrote a 22 minutes long piece for saxophone and acoustic string ensemble. This work, simply entitled “42”, is now being performed for the first time at the Norwegian festival Barentsjazz in the northern city of Tromsø, Norway, on November 21^st.

The composition “42” marks Munkeby’s return to his acoustic jazz roots of John Coltrane, along with a distinct silver lining of the French composer Olivier Messiaen, thereby echoing the same inspiration sources that forged Shining’s first two acoustic albums released in 2001 and 2003, both of which has been out of print for more than seven years.

Munkeby comments

“This year it’s ten years since Shining released our last acoustic jazz album, and it feels great to revisit some of my biggest inspirations and ways of writing from that time. With my more recent Blackjazz way of playing the saxophone, combined with an acoustic string ensemble of 21 players, I think “42” has turned out to be a great piece of art music with an enjoyable and familiar Blackjazz twist. Greatly looking forward to the premiere!”

Frode Larsen from Barentsjazz Festival comments:

“In all likelihood, this will be the most exciting musical hybrid of the year, one of today’s foremost Norwegian artists. This will be powerful stuff. The piece was commissioned before Shining got their big breakthrough, so it wasn’t possible to squeeze it into Munkeby’s busy schedule until now. But we’re excited that we’re finally there!”

The premiere will be combined with a master class and lecture about the piece for the music conservatory in Tromsø. There is currently no plans for additional performances of this work “42”.

Tickets for the premiere of Munkeby’s “42” with Tromsø Chamber Orchestra November 21st can be found here and here.

Shining are currently finishing up their three weeks long tour with The Ocean, Tides From Nebula and Hacride. See them on one of the remaining dates below:

12/11/13 – Germany, Munich, Backstage Club
13/11/13 – Switzerland, Winterthur, Salzhaus
14/11/13 – France, Belfort, La Poudriere
15/11/13 – Germany, Essen, Zeche Carl
16/11/13 – Germany, Karlsruhe, Stadtmitte
17/11/13 – Germany, Berlin, Lido