Icelandic folk music used as a vehicle for improvisation, combining the elegance of the European approach with a fiery New York drive.

5 MP3 Songs in this album (31:48) !
Related styles: JAZZ: Modern Creative Jazz, JAZZ: Contemporary Jazz

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Details:
Proclaimed an âimpressive newcomerâ by the VillageVoice, Icelandic pianist Sunna Gunnlaugsâ playing and compositions fuse her native Icelandic folk music with jazz, as the Washington Post described it, âsuch timeless virtues as lyricism and grace... elegantly bridges soulsearching passages with uncluttered swing.â Her music appeal to jazzers and non-jazzers alike. Her quartet allows full expressive range. Fresh and bright, hear why Time Out NY says Sunna âis proof that jazz is as much a part of the picture as the pop of Björk or SigurRos.â

Born and raised in Iceland, she went to the USA to study jazz in 1993. After graduating from William Paterson College in Wayne NJ she moved to Park Slope, Brooklyn where she resided until moving back to Iceland in 2005.
Her quartet has performed in 10 states in the US and 7 countries in Europe meeting with critical acclaim in such publications as Jazz Podium, Concerto, Stereo and Jazzman. Their Canadian tour in summer of 2002 included stops at Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Victoria Jazz festivals. In 2003 her quartet did their debut in Tokyo, Japan.