Sunna Gunnlaugs
(Island, USA)
Sunna Gunnlaugs se narodila na Islandu a nyní žije v New Yorku. Hodně ji
ovlivnili američtí pianisté jako Bill Evans a Keith Jarrett, ze skandinávských
Bobo Stenson. Vytvořila si však vlastní romantický, ba poetický styl.
Sunna přijela do Ameriky v roce 1993, aby zde studovala jazz na William Paterson
College. Učil ji mimo jiné klavírista Pete Malinverni a kontrabasista Rufus
Reid. Během studií založila trio s kontrabasistou Danem Fabricatore a bubeníkem
Scottem McLemore. Pořídila s tímto triem na vlastní pěst CD, kterému dala název
"Far Far Away". V roce 1997 se trio vydalo na turné na Island a pak vystupovalo
v Americe.
V prosinci 1999 nahrála album "Mindful" s kvartetem, v němž hráli kontrabasista
Drew Gress, saxofonista Tony Malaby a opět bubeník Scott McLemore. S tímto
kvartetem koncertovala v roce 2000 znovu na Islandu a v USA. Kvartet byl
i hostem známých newyorkských klubů Knitting Factory a Cornelia Street
Café. V roce 2001 pořádala opět turné po USA, tentokrát s kvartetem, ve kterém
hrál na saxofon Peter Hess a na kontrabas Matt Pavolka.
V rozhlase se objevila Sunna poprvé v roce 1998 na islandské stanici
RAS 1. Ve svých pořadech umožnila Islanďanům seznámit se s významnými postavami
současného jazzu (Dave Douglas, Ben, Monder, Maria Schneider, Jim Hall, Chris
Potter a mnoho dalších).
Zajímavá je spolupráce Sunny s islandskou zpěvačkou Kristjanou Stefunsdóttir,
pro kterou napsala hudbu k islandské poezii. Premiéra se uskutečnila v roce 2000
s holandským kontrabasistou Jorisem Teepe a bubeníkem Scottem McLemore.
Nahrávku na CD plánuje Sunna v tomto roce.
Tisk
"Sunna hraje poctivou a jemnou hudbu, znamená pro 'islandskou novou vlnu'
zajímavý přínos.
S kapelou, ve které hrají vynikající muzikanti z New Yorku, dokáže tato mladá
klavíristka upoutat zaslouženou pozornost svou radostnou i objevnou hudbou." -
Dave Douglas
(Viz též Sunna Gunnlaugs Quartet.)
Sunna Gunnlaugs
(Iceland, USA)
In December 1999 she recorded the CD Mindful with a quartet that featured
bassist Drew Gress, saxophonist Tony Malaby and again drummer Scott
McLemore. This quartet toured Iceland in March 2000 and the states in
April 2000 as well as local NYC performances at the Knitting Factory and
Cornelia Street Cafe. In August 2001 she toured the states again with
a quartet featuring saxophonist Peter Hess, bassist. RAS 1 [Icelandic Public
Radio] called Jazz Gallery New York. Her concept was to expose Icelanders
to jazz by giving them a behind the scenes look into the music and the
people who make it. She interviews one artist per one hour show and plays
their music. So far she has hosted 17 shows which featured: Dave Douglas,
Ben Monder, Mark Turner, Marc Johnson, Ethan Iverson, Kurt Rosenwinkle,
Maria Schneider, Larry Goldings, Guillermo Klein, Matt Wilson, Chris
Cheek, Jim Hall, Ellery Eskelin, Jason Moran, Drew Sunna has also
been pursuing a project with Icelandic singer Kristjana Stefánsdóttir
for which she has been writing music to Icelandic poetry. The debut of
this collaboration took place in Reykjavik in December 2000, with Dutch
bassist Joris Teepe and drummer Scott McLemore. She hopes to record the
project this year.
Gress, Frank Kimborough, and Chris Potter. To listen over the internet
with a Windows Media Player click here. If you want to download Media
Player click here Matt Pavolka and McLemore which included a stop at
Blues Alley in DCOriginally from Iceland, now living in New York City,
Sunna has found a way to make music hat people on both sides of the
Atlantic can relate to. Highly influenced by such American pianists
as Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett, and Scandinavians like Bobo Stenson,
her music has developed its own charming brand of romantic lyricism,
riding atop a driving American rhythm section.
She came to America in 1993 to study jazz at William Paterson College,
where she was taught by, among others, pianist Pete Malinverni, and
bassist Rufus Reid. While in school she formed a trio with bassist Dan
Fabricatore and drummer Scott McLemore, which she recorded upon graduating
and self-released on a CD entitled Far Far Away. The trio toured Iceland
in 1997 (which was the first major tour of Iceland by a female musician)
and continues to perform in America.
Press
"Sunna's honest and subtly complex music make her one of the most
exciting new additions to the current "Icelandic new wave." With a band
that includes some of the best players on New York's downtown jazz
scene, Mindful gives everyone a chance to dig into some challenging
and enjoyable material. Sunna is a great young musician worth checking
out." - Dave Douglas
"Fine musicians seem to be among Iceland's most visible exports these
days, and pianist Sunna Gunnlaugs is proof that jazz is as much a part of
the picture as the pop of Björk or Sigur Ros. Tonight she leads a quartet
that shows how much she's learned from Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett." -
TimeOut New York 10/31/01
Sunna Gunnlaugs is originally from Iceland and has been living in USA
for some years now. "Mindful" is a beautiful piece of work. Many press
releases have likened her playing to that of Bill Evans... but we firmly
believe that Sunna is an original." - David Fishel, The Jazz Scene
[Norway]
"Her articulate touch alone should endear her to fans of Evans and
Jarrett, as should the intimate and seemingly intuitive rapport sustained
by her quartet throughout 'Mindful.'... elegantly bridges soul-searching
passages with uncluttered swing." - Mike Joyce, The Washington Post 8/9/01
To read the whole review click here.
"Gunnlaugs may be the best jazz pianist you've never heard" - Virginian
Pilot 8/14/01
"This pianist, from Iceland, is beginning to make some noise on the
downtown scene" -
Time Out New York 1/9/01
"impressive newcomer..." - Jim Macnie, The Village Voice 5/4/01
Selected among the 10 best CDs of 2000 "Remember 'This Is Spinal
Tap,' when label rep Artie Fufkin says, 'See this (euphemism for rear
end)? Kick it. I'm not asking, I'm telling.' You might feel likewise
after realizing you could've seen Gunnlaugs, a jazz pianist from Iceland,
at the last Virginia Waterfront International Arts Festival. Her fluid,
lyrical compositions take their lead from the masters, leaving ample
room for Tony Malaby (sax), Drew Gress (bass) and husband Scott McLemore
(drums)." Craig Shapiro - Virginian Pilot 12/21/00
"Those who heard Gunnlaugs previously at Main & Hopewell know she is
a pianist with Evans-like tendencies and a rock-solid jazz sensibility. Her
compositional sense comes more from Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea than
Evans, but the combinations work out well. To call Gunnlaugs a thoughtful
player is not faint praise. She thinks, but she swings too." -
Steve Starger, Hartford Advocate 6/15/00
"Blessed with a knack for warm, lyrical expression... Whatever she
plays, whether in her mindful original compositions or in her fresh
interpretations of standards, her expressive phrasing and classical
harmonies sound rooted in some sort of narrative element." -
Owen McNally, The Hartford Courant 6/1/00
"Far Far Away is a charming CD. Ms. Gunnlaugsdóttir plays with
conviction and swing. The interaction with Scott and Dan is thoughtful
and provocative. The trio has an open, transparent sound and
a oneness. Repeated listening will be desired." -
Rufus Reid, Bassist
"Listening to each other, providing imaginative shadings, and sensitively
handling dynamic levels are obviously priorities for this group." -
Larry Nai, Cadence Magazine
"Gunnlaugsdóttir plays beautifully... Her melodic style is articulated
with a delicate touch and is rooted in the lyricism of [Bill] Evans and
Keith Jarrett." -
Steve Starger, The Hartford Courant
Quartet
Sunna's quartet has been performing together since 1999. With Tony
Malaby on tenor sax, Drew Gress on bass and Scott McLemore on drums
they performed around New York at places like the Knitting Factory,
Cornelia Street Cafe and the Internet Cafe. They recorded a CD of Sunna's
originals called "Mindful" in December 1999. The group toured Iceland
in March 2000 and the States in April 2000. Over time the line up has
changed slightly with the availablility of the band members being at
a premium. In August of 2001 saxophonist Peter Hess and bassist Matt
Pavolka joined the group on her tour of the southeastern U.S. For her
upcoming European Tour Sunna will be joined by tenor saxophonist Ohad
Talmor along with Pavolka and McLemore.
The quartet's repertoire centers around Sunna's compositions and
arrangements of Icelandic folk songs. A new CD of these folk songs is
in the works for next year.
Trio
Sunna's Trio has been around since 1995. The repertoire deals mostly
with standards, be bop and originals, but also includes Icelandic and
Scandinavian music from time to time.
The trio (Dan Fabricatore - bass, Scott McLemore - drums) recorded a CD
in March of '97 called Far Far Away, undoubtably named for her distance
from home. Ironicly enough, her homesickness was eased by the disc as
it promted what was to be the "first major tour of Iceland by a female
musician."
But Gunnlaugs' travels with her trio haven't been limited to Iceland;
they are constantly performing throughout the United States. In addition
to their normal gigs around New York City recent tours have taken them
to: Washington, DC; Minneapolis, MN; Philadelphia, PA; Hartford, CT;
Richmond, VA and Columbus, OH... to name a few.
(See also Sunna Gunnlaugs Quartet.)