Each year, one of the highlights of Tomorrow’s Warriors calendar is 8 March, when we pay a special visit to our dear friends and partners at the Voss Jazzskule in Norway to take part in their Jente Jazz Concert marking International Women’s Day. IWD is a day for women to come together in the spirit of celebration and sharing. In previous years, Tomorrow’s Warriors has taken some outstanding female artists to Voss, including Zoe Rahman, Laura Jurd, Cherise Coryna, and even budding vocalist, Cara Crosby.
This year, as part of our Emerging Artists programme, we were delighted to invite the horns section of Tomorrow’s Warriors alumna band, Nérija to pay a return visit to Voss, where the band had blown everyone away at their full band Jente Jazz debut back in 2014.
Hosted by the deeply committed musician and educator, John Taylor and his wife, Marisa, the Jente Jazz concert is an annual feature in the Voss music calendar, attracting essentially local people who go to check out the new and emerging talent coming through Voss Jazzskule.
It is our absolute pleasure to work in partnership with Voss Jazzskule. Always a truly special musical and spiritual experience, our musicians and artists agree that it really is a privilege to play there. However, don’t take our word for it…here we share what the Nérija horns section and fellow Warrior, Romarna Campbell had to say about their return trip, and some of the photos and footage they captured whilst there.
Cassie Kinoshi Spending International Women’s Day surrounded by the serene beauty of the Norwegian district of Voss was an inspiring way to celebrate and uplift our gender through jazz music. It is always a pleasure to meet fellow female jazz musicians and composers from around the world, not only to share our passion for music but also the unspoken understanding we have between us as a minority in the jazz world.
Nubya Garcia What an incredible way to spend International Women’s Day 2016! We had an amazing stay in Voss visiting the Jazzskule students again, it was great to be back after our last trip two years ago. We really enjoyed playing alongside students and their brilliant guest artist, Magela Herrara using their compositions as well as ours. We were staying right by the absolutely beautiful Lake Vangsvatnet –completely frozen over, we were able to walk across it – something to tick off our bucket lists!
Sheila Maurice-Grey I couldn’t have asked for a better time to travel to Norway. Norway truly provides a breath of fresh air, and relief from the hectic hustle and bustle of London, the kind of environment any artist would thrive in. Its landscapes, people, even water oozed peace and tranquility.
We had the amazing opportunity to workshop two of our compositions – Redamancy (Cassie Kinoshi) and Fisherman (Rosie Turton) with the students, but even more exciting was learning and playing new compositions, written with us in mind by Ingrid Steinkopf, Signe Førre and Cuban flautist Magela Herrera, who taught us some traditional Cuban folk songs…she even made us sing in three-part harmony! This was truly special.
Rosie Turton It was amazing to return to Voss and play with our friends in Norway. This year we collaborated with an incredible flautist called Magela Herrara, and got to play some great Cuban tunes she shared with us. We also got to play a few original compositions by some of the girls from Voss Jazzskule, which was a real treat. A very inspiring trip!
Romarna Campbell Nothing is more inspiring and amazing than being in the picturesque town of Voss, seeing the sun rise from the fjords. Being given the opportunity to perform in such an environment is even more heartening.
International Women’s Day, to me, is about celebrating everything that being a woman in the 21st century encompasses – artistically, academically, philosophically and so much more. Being able to combine that quiet strength with the universal language of music has made this trip mean so much more than most can ever imagine.
The work of the Voss Jazzskule and Tomorrow’s Warriors has brought with it unexpected, but greatly appreciated relationships with fellow like-minded musicians
Thank you Tomorrow’s Warriors and Voss Jazzskule for this amazing opportunity!
We’re thrilled these Emerging Artists enjoyed their stay and found it to be a valuable experience on so many levels. Here’s looking forward to more sharing and celebration with our Anglo-Norwegian sisterhood next year!
TOMORROW'S WARRIORS 