Håvard Stubø

Håvard Stubø Quartet 

Personel: Håvard Stubø – guitar, Knut Riisnæs – saxophones, Torbjörn Zetterberg – bass, and Håkon Mjåset Johansen – drums

Since the band started playing together a few years ago, we´ve done quite a few gigs, including several tours in Russia, Japan, China, the Ukraine, and of course the Nordic countries.

We´ve released four albums, Way Up (Way Down) in 2009, Spring Roll Insomnia in 2011, Vilhelmina in 2014, and Kautokeino Undercvover in 2020, all for the Norwegian label Bolage. You´ll find some sounds from the albums on the music page. All albums got excellent reviews at home and abroad, and Way Up (Way Down) was nominated for a Norwegian Grammy.

According to the critics:

”This is a fire-breathing group that cooks mightily” Cadence Magazine (US)

”This is jazz that with a catchiness normally found in pop music – a happy bulldozer that runs over any obstacle, possesses you and says ”let´s party”. (…) Eight songs later I´m left feeling slightly dizzy by the total treatment Håvard Stubø Quartet has given me, immedeately aching for more.” Lira  (SE)

 ”Guitarist Havard Stubo is one of the freshest talents working in the contemporary Scandinavian scene (…) a groove that’s overflowing with fresh, new ideas in jazz (…) music that bursts out right away with an immediate appeal, even to anyone new to the music of Stubo and his associates” Dusty Groove (US)

 ”Distinct and dynamic – a radiant album from this new quartet.(…) An album to be counted among this year´s finest releases.” Terje Mosnes, Dagbladet (NO)

 ”Amazing interplay – things just exploded – and Riisnæs outdid himself. It was a truly fantastic evening.” Erling Wicklund on Norwegian state radio about the quartet´s release concert at Oslo jazzfestival.

The albums: