Paal Nilssen-Love Sets the Beat for Aarhus

2/6/2025 | Forfatter: Aarhus Jazz Festival | Fotograf: Peter Gannushkin

Norwegian drummer and composer Paal Nilssen-Love is this year's artist in residence at Aarhus Jazz Festival 2025 – and ready for an intense week of musical encounters, new constellations, and jazz without borders.

During Aarhus Jazz Festival 2025, you will regularly encounter Norwegian drummer and composer Paal Nilssen-Love. As the festival's artist in residence, he will be performing in a long series of concerts with various musicians and on a wide range of stages around the city.

“I love challenges, and I'm sure I'll find myself in new situations where I have to find new solutions – and I think that's healthy,” he says.

Paal Nilssen-Love has played all over the world – from Brazil and Ethiopia to Japan and Chicago – and has made a name for himself over the decades as an uncompromising, curious, and hyperactive force in international free jazz and improvisational music. But his roots are Scandinavian. He was born in Molde, Norway, and grew up in Stavanger, where his father, also a drummer, ran the local jazz club together with Paal's mother. At the age of eight, he was given drumsticks by legendary drummer Art Blakey.

“I usually say that I started playing drums nine months before I was born. My father was a drummer, and the drum kit was always there,” he says.

However, he ended up becoming a drummer almost by accident – he actually wanted to play the trumpet in the school band, but said “drums” when the conductor asked which instrument he wanted to play.

As a musician, Nilssen-Love seeks freedom in everything he does.

“I prefer to listen to the originals rather than the copies – and then create something new myself. For me, jazz is the music of today – it reflects the times we live in.”

He considers being artist in residence this year a great honor. He is looking forward to new collaborations and hopes to make both musical discoveries and new friends.

“I feel very welcome in Aarhus. And I hope I get to visit a good record store – I might just bring home a few new additions.”

CONCERTS FOR THIS YEAR'S ARTIST RESIDENCY

14/7 19.30 Paal Nilssen-Love, from Oslo to Aarhus 

15/7 20.00 Camilla Dayyani Kvartet feat. Laugesen & Nilssen-Love 

16/7 20:00 Olga Witte Organism feat. Paal Nielssen-Love  

17/7 16.30 Paal Nilssen-Loves kvartet - Jambu 

18/7 17.00  Paal Nilssen-Love solo & artist talk 

19/7 20.00 Lotte Anker & Paal Nilssen-Love

19/7 21.00 ALT R JAZZ Large Ensemble