The name Jan Erik Kongshaug is synonymous with good sound. For 35 years, the sound engineer ran the legendary Rainbow Studio, where many of the world's greatest jazz artists have recorded their records. In June, he turns 75, and next week he will be honored with his own festival.
/ 07/03/2019 / Kristian DugstadThe name Jan Erik Kongshaug is synonymous with good sound. For 35 years, the sound engineer ran the legendary Rainbow Studio, where many of the world's greatest jazz artists have recorded their records. In June, he turns 75, and next week he will be honored with his own festival.
Text: Kristian Dugstad
Photo above: Jan Erik Kongshaug receives the King's Medal of Merit in January 2019. Photographed by Roar Vestad.
Friday 15th to Sunday 17th March, many of Norway's biggest jazz names will gather at Cosmopolite and Belleville in Oslo. Together they will celebrate the man who has made the jazz world sound unique, Jan Erik Kongshaug. Program manager and record producer Christer Falck is behind the festival, and he describes himself as a big Kongshaug fan.
– It started when I found out that Jan Erik Kongshaug was going to sell Rainbow Studio after 50 years as a sound engineer. I am a staunch fan of music recorded at Rainbow, so I found it very sad.
After the news broke, Falck was excited to read the press reports about the sale. He was surprised, to say the least, when he couldn't find so much as a notice.
– I thought the entire press had gone crazy, after all, an era in Norwegian music history is over. I almost saw it as a civic duty to make a commemoration.
Visit the Kongshaug Festival website here..
There is no doubt that Jan Erik Kongshaug deserves recognition for his work in the music industry. As Falck writes on the Kongshaugfestivalen website:
"Recorded at Rainbow Studio, Oslo. Engineer: Jan Erik Kongshaug" is considered a special quality characteristic for sound recording. And there are few, if any, sound engineers who can boast the same feat. To have their own soundscape named after them.
According to Falck, Kongshaug has played an important role for the Norwegian jazz scene in several ways.
– For jazz legends like Keith Jared, Kongshaug was the go-to guy. When these artists first came to Norway, they often combined recording at Rainbow Studio with a concert. That's why the entire international jazz elite has played in Norway. Hundreds of concerts have taken place just because Kongshaug happens to be Norwegian.
During the Kongshaug Festival next weekend, Falck will gather around 50 musicians on stage. Norwegian artists who have recorded albums at Rainbow Studio and worked with Jan Erik Kongshaug will now join in honoring him.
– Initially, I planned to organize a one-day celebration. When the news spread, there were a lot of artists who wanted to contribute. Then it was just a matter of getting together and creating a festival.
The audience can experience what Falck describes as some of the most important things in Norwegian jazz history. He highlights examples such as Arild Andersen, Bendik Hofseth, Nils Petter Molvær, Mathias Eick, Tord Gustavsen, Ketil Bjørnstad, Ellen Andrea Wang and many, many more.
– There will also be a number of surprises. I have encouraged all the artists to do special and different things, such as bringing in guest musicians.
Jan Erik Kongshaug will also be present during the festival.
Buy tickets to Kongshaug Festival here..
On June 4th this year, Jan Erik Kongshaug turns 75. In addition to marking his many years of work, the festival will be an early birthday celebration.
– The birthday on June 4th is during the busiest festival season. To get all the amazing artists in, we had to do this now, in March.
Several of the concerts during the Kongshaug Festival will be filmed, and Falck is in dialogue with NRK about honoring Kongshaug on TV as well.
– The dream is to show several of the concerts on NRK on his birthday, June 4th.
TONO is one of the Kongshaug Festival's partners and supporters.
