Norwegian all-star band Cream of the Crop (feat. members from Jaga Jazzist, Hellbillies, Motorpsycho, Askil Holm) has been confirmed as a headliner for the Kongsberg Jazz Festival on June 30.

Updated North American dates for Jaga Jazzist:

06/25 - Victoria Jazz Festival, Victoria, BC (CAN)
06/26 - Vancouver Jazz Festival, Vancouver, BC (CAN)
06/27 - Jazz Festival Calgary, Calgary, AB (CAN)
06/28 - Sidetrack Café, Edmonton Jazz Fest, AB (CAN)
06/29 - Sidetrack Café, Edmonton Jazz Fest, AB (CAN)
06/30 - Saskatoon Jazz Festival, Saskatoon, SK (CAN)
07/02 - Empty Bottle, Chicago, IL (US)
07/03 - Wexner Center, Columbus, OH (US)
07/04 - TBC, Grog Shop, OH (US)
07/06 - Knitting Factory, New York, New York (US)
07/07 - tbc (US)
07/08 - Montreal Jazz Festival, Montreal, PQ (CAN)
07/09 - Harbourfront, Toronto, ON (CAN)
07/10 - Festival D'Ete, Quebec city, Quebec (CAN)
07/11 - Bluesfest, Ottawa, ON (CAN)

As hinted at before, I can now confirm the first set of dates for Jaga Jazzist's debut North American tour:

06/25 - Victoria, British Columbia (CAN)
06/26 - Vancouver, British Columbia (CAN)
06/27 - Jazz Festival Calgary, Calgary, Alberta (CAN)
06/28 - Calgary, Alberta (CAN)
06/29 - Edmonton, Alberta (CAN)
06/30 - Edmonton, Alberta (CAN)
06/01 - Saskatoon, Saskatoon (CAN)
07/03 - Minneapolis, Minnesota (US)
07/04 - Empty Bottle, Chicago, Illinois (US)
07/05 - Toronto, Ontario (CAN)
07/06 - New York, New York (US)
07/07 - Montreal Jazz Festival, Montreal, Quebec (CAN)
07/08 - Quebec city, Quebec (CAN)
07/10 - Halifax, Nova Scotia (CAN)

Damn lucky, those Canucks.

I hear word that Jaga Jazzist is currently setting up a US tour. Stoked! Dates soon.

The full schedule has been confirmed for Norway's Ole Blues Festival in late April and the lineup is pretty much a complete who's who of Norwegian music. Some of names listed include Fenrik Lane (feat. World Idol champ Kurt Nilsen), Magnet, Sondre Lerche, Thomas Dybdahl, Gluecifer, Datarock, Evil Tordivel, Jaga Jazzist, Kaizers Orchestra and tons more. Full details: http://www.oleblues.net/

Oslo, Norway's reknown nightclub Blå will be exporting their unique take on music programming to a host of international locations as part of the country's centennial anniversary in 2005. The club has been a lauchpad for a number of important Norwegian groups over recent years, one very notable group being Jaga Jazzist. The list of artists who are participating in the exchange are still yet to be determined, but the venue list includes Nefertiti in Gothenburg (Sweden), The Spitz in London (UK), Empty Bottle in Chicago (USA), Copenhagen Jazzhouse in Copenhagen (Denmark), WMF in Berlin (Germany), Sonár Festival in Barcelona (Spain), Tings an Times in Pretoria (South Africa), and maybe Chinese Pilot or Art Garage in Moscow (Russia). Read more: http://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2004030510392425617303

The debut album from Tub Quartet has been confirmed for a release in mid-March via Curling Legs. The band features Andreas Hessen Schei from Jaga Jazzist on piano along with Hilde Marie Kjersem (vocals), Magne Vestrum (bass) and Pål Hausken (drums). The music is described as "contemporary jazz and pop with a strong emphasis on availability and appeal" and was recorded and produced by Even Ormestad (Jaga Jazzist) and Audun Borrmann.

Reknown and respected Norwegian label Smalltown Supersound is launching a new offshoot called Smalltown Superjazzz (yes, 3 z's). The Supersound label will remain home to Jaga Jazzist, Kim Hiorthoy, Martin Horntveth, Sir Dupermann, Mental Overdrive, Yuichiro Fujimoto, Lars Horntveth and recent signee Midnight Drummer while the new imprint will feature their definition of jazz music. Those acts include The Thing, Jazzkammer, Paal Nilssen-Love/Ken Vandermark, Lasse Marhaug and one more act not yet revealed.

Next big thing in 2004? The London Observer speculates on Jaga Jazzist: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/omm/story/0,13887,1132410,00.html (via DJ Martian)

Dagensskiva has posted the lineup and schedule for the Ideal Festival which focuses on electronic music and takes place March 11-13 at Nefertiti in Göteborg: http://www.dagensskiva.com/news.asp?id=2540
Some of the acts performing include Pan Sonic, Kill (ft. members of Jaga Jazzist), The Bug and Pole.

The Jaga Jazzist website has all the details on their brand-new "Day" single.

Jaga Jazzist members Andreas Hessen Sche and Even Ormestad both contribute to the debut album "Red Shoes Diary" from TUB Quartet, Andreas with his piano playing and Even with recording and production. The music, described as "moving between contemporary jazz and pop with a strong emphasis on availability and appeal," is written and composed by vocalist Hilde Marie Kjersem and Curling Legs will release the album in mid-March.

BBC Radio 1 will be doing a special broadcast from the Norwegian house club Sunkissed featuring live performances from Nils Petter Molvær, Kim Hiortøy Lokal Band (w/members of Jaga Jazzist, Frost and Bugge Wesseltoft. Read more: http://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2004011313045939561913

Since C.Armeé likes to be vague, they've announced their record release show for the new album on Burning Heart will be February 27, but they're not saying where yet.

Jaga Jazzist just added a ton of great live pics to their website: http://www.jagajazzist.com/pictures.php

Jaga Jazzist drummer Martin Horntveth and trumpet player Nils Petter Molvær both contribute to the new Funkstörung album out in March.