In a word – wow. The venue was so packed; the majority male, bearded/stubbled audience were here to see a band that sang narry a word, because they don’t need to. We were immersed in a swimming pool of sound.
According to Wikipedia, Jaga Jazzist is an experimental jazz band from Norway. I’m not sure that is quite enough. Can we call them soundscapists? On record they sound sleek and intricate – live they are thunderous and powerful, showcasing musicianship at their finest. I can’t quite tell if they are good showmen/women too, as despite peering over lots of shoulders and touching a few bums along the way I can just about see 8 or 9 Scandinavian heads – but thankfully due to the nature of their music I could close my eyes and still enjoy the concert.
My favourite track of theirs is Lithuania, which sadly they didn’t play. But thanks to Youtube you can listen to it. Bear with it – it develops into some very beautiful stuff. Put it in the background as you work. If you like them, buy their songs, OK?
