Event info

Pianist Magnús Jóhann and saxophonist Óskar Guðjónsson have had been on many a musical adventure both united and on their own paths. Óskar is one of the leading jazz musicians in Iceland, and Magnús is one of the most active musicians in Reykjavik. Their paths first crossed in the band Moses Hightower and with singer Bríet and in the fall of 2024, they released their duo album Fermented Friendship. The record features new compositions by the two. Óskar's smooth tone blends beautifully in dialogue with Magnús's graceful piano playing. They recorded the album at the Norðurljós Hall in Harpa in May 2023, after a winter-long preparation process. Now, nearly two years later, they return to Norðurljós Hall to celebrate the album's release by performing it in its entirety at the very place it was recorded.

The recording sessions for the album had a great atmosphere, with all lights turned off except for old, dimly lit, lamps on the floor. The darkness enveloped the duo and perfectly captured the spirit of the music. This spirit will linger in Norðurljós Hall on January 17th, as Magnús and Óskar will be positioned at the center of the hall surrounded by lamps in the dim light, creating a unique opportunity to experience the album exactly as it sounded when it was recorded. The Fermented Friendship album will be performed in full, along with a selection of carefully chosen pieces. The concert will last about an hour and will start at 20:00. The hall opens at 19:30.

Since his teenage years, Óskar Guðjónsson has been a sought-after saxophonist in Iceland’s extensive music scene. Improvised music and jazz are closest to his heart. His band ADHD has earned well-deserved attention both in Iceland and abroad. Óskar has also collaborated with numerous artists, including Mezzoforte, Tómas R. Einarsson, Jim Black, Aaron Parks, and Ásgeir Trausti, to name just a few. His collaboration with bassist and composer Skúli Sverrisson has been particularly fruitful, broadening Óskar's horizons and opening his ears to new possibilities in jazz music. The result of this partnership is two albums and countless concerts.

Magnús Jóhann Ragnarsson has been very active as a performer, composer, and producer since 2015. He has performed on hundreds of recordings and performs at numerous concerts every year. Among his collaborators are Moses Hightower, Floni, Ingibjörg Turchi, Aron Can, and Bubbi Morthens. Magnús himself has released several solo albums and two EPs. In addition to these, he released the duo albums Án tillits in 2021 with Skúli Sverrisson, Tíu íslensk sönglög in 2022, and Nokkur jólaleg lög in 2024 with GDRN, as well as Fermented Friendship with Óskar Guðjónsson in 2024. Magnús Jóhann was named Performer of the Year in the open category at the Icelandic Music Awards in 2023 and is one of the founders of the State of the Art music festival, which took place for the first time in the fall of 2024.

The concert is approx. one hour, without intermission.