OKFEST has taken place for the first time – a three-day celebration of boundary-breaking music at Victoria National Jazz Scene! The festival has offered fantastic musical encounters and spontaneous jam sessions stretching long into the night.
Over three days, the audience has experienced how musicians from different traditions, backgrounds, and genres meet in a playful and experimental atmosphere. From the magical opening with Kouame Sereba and Rolf-Erik Nystrøm to the energetic jam sessions led by Celio de Carvalho and Simon Övinge, we have seen both established musicians and new talents throw themselves into collaboration with an openness and joy of playing that has been truly unique.
Friday continued with Bafana Nhlapo and Olve Flakne, a duo that truly captivated the audience with their unique fusion of Zulu vocals, Afrobeat, jazz, and rock. Inger Hannisdal Ensemble then took us on an artistic journey through Norwegian folk music, Middle Eastern-inspired tones, and jazz before the evening transitioned into a jam session led by Hannisdal herself.
The festival wrapped up on Saturday with two exciting concerts: Oluf Dimitri’s Buffet, where folk music and classical traditions merged in an entirely new way, and the trio Ulaş / Askedalen / Aarset, who explored ancient musical traditions with modern electronic elements. Once again, the night continued with a jam session, this time led by Zakarias Meyer Øverli and Ola Erlien.
OKFEST demonstrates how music can build bridges between genres and cultures. The festival has brought musicians and audiences together in a shared celebration of the sound of the world in Norway and has created a new platform for musical encounters and collaboration. The fact that we have been able to carry this out at National Jazz Scene – one of the most important venues for improvisational music in the country – is a significant recognition of the music and musicians we work to elevate.
We are already looking forward to next year!
