Last night I was taken by surprise: during the annual dinner in the composer's union I was unexpectedly awarded the "Kardemommeprisen" - for lifelong contribution in composing music. I was nearly speachless!

The award is the legacy after the multitalented, not to say omnipotent, artist Thorbjørn Egner (1912-1990). Now I'll have to try to live up to this honour.

Yours,
Jon L

 

 

One of the greatest guitar players of all times, DJANGO REINHARDT (1910-1953), will be celebrated all over the world on January 23rd - his 100th anniversary. Books, records, stamps and films will be released, and Django's magical music will continue to touch us right there where nobody else can... Django is truly one of a kind!

Welcome to the Django Reinhardt celebration in Norway 22-23rd January 2010, at the jazz club Cosmopolite, Oslo. Among the artists:

Gonzalo Bergara (guitar/Argentina), Andreas Öberg (guitar/Sweden), Florin Niculescu (violin/Romania), Hot Club de Norvège (featuring yours truly), Fiona Monbet (violin/France), Samarabalouf (Marocco), and others.

The new documentary film "Jon and Jimmy" will be shown, and there will be luthiers selling guitars, new CD's for sale, etc.

Here's the website of the venue: www.cosmopolite.no

See you there?? Welcome!
Yours truly,
Jon Larsen
guitar/composer/producer

PS: ..who also started the first Django Festival, for Django's 70th anniversary, in January 1980. So now it's our 31st annual Django Festival in Norway!

He-he - I just discovered this forgotten YouTube clip from the 1982 jazz/punk project - the Løver & Tigre (Lions & Tigers):



... this is actually the whole Hot Club de Norvège together with the original punk pioneers Sverre Knudsen and Chris Erichsen from The Aller Værste (The Absolute Worst), and Bulle from Betong Hysteria! This must be one of the very first music videos produced in Norway. It was filmed in the, at that time, new format VHS. I am playing on my first, blond Favino guitar.

What more can I say?

Yours,
Jon L

Here is a link to some nice photos from photographer Bjorn Melby - from the gallery in connection with the release of the new book about my paintings "Maler i solnedgang":

http://picasaweb.google.no/lh/sredir?uname=bjorn.melbye&target=ALBUM&id=5379029570030266897&authkey=Gv1sRgCOiJ06WMvKmm_gE&feat=email

Soon the free wegallery will open....

Meanwhile,
Best wishes,
Jon

Hi all!

Today is the takeoff for the really, really long 30th anniversary tour for Hot Club de Norvège, my accoustic string jazz quartet. We're all looking very much foreward to spending the next months on the road, and hope that the jazz clubs will be filled up with nice people - like you (obviously, since you are reading this! - and that our crusade for the accoustic string jazz will be successful. Send me an email if you have questions: jon.larsen@getmail.no - and see you there?

If not, our new CD will hopefully be finished before the end of the year, and released at the forthcoming DJANGO festival in Oslo, the last weekend in January 2010.

After that there are many plans: extensive tours in Sweden, Japan and Spain, and the "Django In 100!" tour (together with Adrien Moignard? Bireli? Andreas?) in Norway, as well as Symphonic Django tours in Europe.

Also, I hope to spend some weeks in the lotek studio (Arthur Barrow's wonderful Mar Vista based recording studio - especially suitable for Zappa-inspired music...) in February. It will be three "mystery projects", more or less simulanously... just wait!

Finally, an English version of the recently published book about my surrealistic paintings is in the making, and will hopefully be available some time next year...

Meanwhile, welcome to one of our forthcoming concerts! Come up and say "hi" - you know, "touring can make you crazy" (FZ)... but it's always nice to meet old and new friends.

Best wishes,
Jon Larsen

 


 

We had a wonderful weekend, celebrating Hot Club de Norvège's 30th anniversary, both in Oslo and Kristiansand, and Adrien MOIGNARD played with us on both concerts. In Kristiansand we were joined also by Andreas Öberg and Martin Taylor - both absolutely marvellous.

Andreas and Martin are well known among guitar players, but do you know Adrien Moignard? Check him out - he has some wonderful videos on YouTube, and a couple of CD's out - either with his Selmer group, or the Ensemble Zaïti. Adrien Moignard is one of the absolutely best accoustic plectrum guitarists today. We finished the weekend off with a recording session together - and what a joy! Adrien played like nothing I've ever heard before! Obviously inspired by Django, but refreshingly free of the common (boring) licks... Adrien is inspired by so many different sources that he has developed a style almost on his own. I say almost, because the most exciting thing is that this young (twenty-something years old) virtuoso is not alone... he is a part of a creative group of young guitar players in Paris - Sebastien, Rocky, David, Noé, and others - and they are really taking the Django inspired music to a new level... great music, nice guys, and ... bravo!



Adrien Moignard - the new master of accoustic plectrum guitar from Paris.

We recorded four tracks, and the new album will be released next year. Meanwhile I recommend you to check out Adrien Moignard's YouTube clips and recordings - he's really awesome!

Best wishes,
Jon Larsen
jon.larsen (at) getmail.no

Today - 14th of August - is the 30th anniversary of HOT CLUB DE NORVEGE! We have actually been playing together for three more years than that, but in August 1979 I returned to Oslo after one year of painting in Spain (Dalí studies, Barcelona/Catalonia), and we decided to go pro.

Since then, we have been continously on the road together - shoulder by shoulder, thru thick and thin, and we have seen the renaissance of the Django music from the inside, played with all the great musicians, toured in every corner of the globe, recorded more than 26 CD, and still - enjoy this above anything else! What a privilege!

Here's our very first pro photo session:




Please note the violinist, Ivar Brodahl (1928-2003). He was one of a kind! But in 1985 he retired, and was replaced with Finn Hauge. After 25 years he is still the "new guy" in the band!

In connection with the 30th anniversary, we will tour a lot - all over - so please, join us in our celebration. Complete giglist elsewhere on this site.

Tonight we have a big concert (Oslo Jazz Festival), at Chat Noir 7PM (19h00), together with Adrien Moignard. Tomorrow it is in Kristiansand, together with Adrien, Martin Taylor, Andreas Öberg, etc - welcome!

Now, we enter our fourth decade (!) on the road...

Yours,
HOT CLUB DE NORVEGE
Jon Larsen

 

Hello friends!

Hot Club de Norvège are now celebrating our 30th anniversary, and welcome you to one of our concerts:

25 jul 2009 Kroks Kafé, Trondheim (1300 - 1600)
25 jul 2009 Otnesbrygga, Halsa Kommune (2000 - 2300)
26 jul 2009 Trondheim Kunstforening, De Ni Muser, (20h00)
27 jul 2009 Stiklestadspele..t
01 aug 2009 Kragerø
07 aug 2009 Hellviktangen
 
14 aug 2009 Chat Noir, Oslo - HOT CLUB DE NORVÈGE 30 YEARS CELEBRATION! Oslo Jazz Festival. fEATURING aDRIEN mOIGNARD (F), guitar extraorinaire! Wecome!

15 aug 2009 Tba Kristiansand String Swing Circus. Feat. Adrien Moignard.
26 aug 2009 Kampen Park
30 aug 2009 Tba - Sarpsborg - The Robert Normann Festival
03 sep 2009 Oseberg Kulturhus. Urijazz 30th Anniversary!
09 sep 2008 Kautokeino
10 sep 2009 Kirkenes
11 sep 2009 Vadsø Jazzklubb
12 sep 2009 redrum
15 sep 2009 Storslett Jazzklubb
16 sep 2009 Tromsø Jazzklubb, Skarven
18 sep 2009 Sortland Jazzweekend
19 sep 2009 Melbu, Vesterålen
20 sep 2009 Ramberg, Lofoten
21 sep 2009 Bacalao, Svolvær
23 sep 2009 Mørkeholla, Narvik
25 sep 2009 Salten Museum FAUSKE
26 sep 2009 Salten Museum ROGNAN
27 sep 2009 Bodø Jazzklubb
29 sep 2009 Studentsamfunne..t NESNA
30 sep 2009 Babettes, Mo i Rana
02 okt 2009 Brønnøysund Jazzklubb
03 okt 2009 Kulturhuset, Namsos
13 okt 2009 13-17 October: Jazzcruice, Hurtigruta; Tromsø-Bergen.
17 okt 2009 Swing-n-Sweet Jazzklubb
22 okt 2009 Asker Jazzklubb
24 okt 2009 Drammens Teater
29 okt 2009 Kystmuseet, Hitra
29 okt 2009 West coast of Norway - 30th anniversary - 10 concerts
30 okt 2009 Dokkhuset, Trondheim
06 nov 2009 Jazzklubben Ålesund
11 nov 2009 Oslo Konserthus, Jazzakademiet
12 nov 2009 Oslo Konserthus, Jazzakademiet
27 nov 2009 Bærum - Musikkflekken / Kulturhuset
28 nov 2009 Triaden, Lørenskog Jazzklubb

Welcome - hope to see you!

Send me an email if you have questions: jon.larsen (at) getmail.no

Yours,
HOT CLUB DE NORVEGE - 1979-2009!
Jon Larsen