Wibutee

One of Norway’s most exciting electro-jazz groups is returning to the Festival. Led by monster saxophonist Håkon Kornstad, Wibutee embraces expressions both acoustic and electronic. Their acclaimed 2001 beat-oriented recording, Eight Domestic Challenges (Jazzland), combined house and dub with contemporary classical music and free jazz to create a dreamy and surreal soundscape. A follow-up recording Plaything (Jazzland) was funkier and more hard-edged with jazz-rock fusion as its inspiration. Now the band’s latest release, Sweet Mental (Sonne Disk), finds Wibutee working towards a more melodic concept but still retaining Kornstad’s recognizable sax in front. Multidimensional, post-minimalistic future jazz—Wibutee’s sonic breakthroughs are the sounds of the twenty-first century. With Wetle Holte drums, Rune ‘Sternklang’ Brøndbo guitar, Tor Egil Kreken bass/guitar, Aders Aaseboe, Kyrre Heldal Karlsen lightechs. Thanks to the Norwegian Jazz Forum and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.