program 2027
Kurt Elling & Tromsø Big Band
A long-awaited star-studded encounter
Tromsø Big Band marks the 40th anniversary of the Northern Lights Festival with a star-studded encounter they have long dreamed of!
Kurt Elling is one of the most acclaimed jazz vocalists of our time. The Chicago-based artist has won two Grammy Awards and received sixteen Grammy nominations. He is known for his immense vocal range, powerful stage presence, and a unique ability to blend swing, poetry, improvisation, and modern expression.
Throughout an international career spanning over 25 years, Elling has collaborated with greats such as Branford Marsalis, Danilo Pérez, and Fred Hersch, and has performed as a soloist with some of the world's premier ensembles, including the Count Basie Orchestra, the WDR Big Band, and the New York Philharmonic. In 2024, he shone on Broadway in the role of Hermes in the Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown.
For Tromsø Big Band, this is both a major artistic event and a long-awaited opportunity to perform with one of jazz's most powerful vocal personalities. Their collaboration with the Northern Lights Festival spans several decades, and it is especially meaningful to be part of the festival's 40th-anniversary celebrations.
Everything is set for an unforgettable festival finale at The Edge, featuring one of the greatest jazz voices of our time and the Tromsø Big Band!
The concert is made possible with support from the North Norwegian Jazz Centre and Tromsø Jazz Club.