NAKAMA
Nakama is a five-piece band led by bass player Christian Meaas Svendsen. Improvisation is a central component in the band’s music, and the glue that unites a repertoire spanning from the neo romantic to the contemporary and conceptual. Amongst forms, layers, concepts and structures the players are given room for individual and collective escapades. The result is a mash-up of musical prose, poetry and academia in an incomprehensible yet accessible language. Nakama was formed in 2015 has toured extensively in Europe and Asia, and released 5 uncompromising titles on their own label Nakama Records.
Andreas Hoem Røysum - clarinet, guitar
Klaus Holm - clarinet, saxophone
Ayumi Tanaka - piano
Andreas Wildhagen - drums
Christian Meaas Svendsen - bass, compositions
Press kit and rider here
Bold and fascinating... One of the most interesting working bands of today.
— Eyal Hareuveni
Surprisingly and quite against the odds I find this music to be very communicative and engaging, which for this type of music is very rare.
— Adam Baruch
The quartet sounds just as comfortable with extremes of avant-garde dissonance as they do with gorgeous melodicism. Compelling stuff, both as a cerebral exercise and as a listening experience.
— Dave Summers
UPCOMING ACTIVITY
Not much to show for here at the moment…
PREVIOUS ACTIVITY
2022
Concerts fall
25.11 — Nattjazz USF Verftet, Bergen, Norway
02.12 — Biermannsgården, Oslo, Norway
A l’arme festival, Berlin
13.08 — Radialsystem, Berlin, Germany
The Nacademy 2022
25.07-30.07 — Weeklong summer course in improvisation, Hemnes, Norway
Participation at Le Son du Peuples #3, France
04.05 — Workshop with Nakama material at the MJC l’archipop, Apt, France
05.05 — Participation in the “Silence Factory”, Chapelle baroque du Conservatoire, Apt, France
06.05 — Nakama show, Maison des Chapitres, Forcalquier, France
07.05 — 4x impromptu gigs at various places in small constellations, Apt, France
07.05 — Nakama show, Salle des Fêtes, Apt, France
Tour in March, presenting New World
03.03 — Inderøy Jazzforum, Inderøy
04.03 — Workshop at Sund Folkehøgskole, Inderøy
04.03 — Ny Musikk Trondheim, Trondheim
05.03 — Victoria café og pub, Bergen
06.03 — Rosendal Samfunnshus, Rosendal
January activity
30.01 – Kampenjazz, Oslo, Norway
31.01 – Studio session, recording New Rituals 2.0
2021
Nakademiet/Nacademy
26.07-30.07 – The members of Nakama arranged and held a workshop in improvised music across genres. It was hosted at Flerbruket in Hemnes, Norway.
Autumn activity
14.10 – Kafé Hærverk, Oslo, Norway
17.10 — Studio session, recording New Rituals 2.0
06.11 — Aparte festival, Tønsberg, Norway
Premiere of New Rituals 2.0
28.05 – Snarøya Kirke/Dype Åndedrag, Oslo, Norway
2020
Scheduled for a tour in France, but covid-19…
2019
Release of New Rituals
24.05 – Nakama is part of Christian Meaas Svendsen’s New Rituals, released on triple CD and triple LP
Nakademiet/Nacademy
14.08-16.08 – The members of Nakama arranged and held a workshop in improvised music across genres. It was hosted at Flerbruket in Hemnes, Norway.
Tour in Germany
1.11 – Soundtrips/Dialograum St. Helena, Bonn, Germany
2.11 – Soundtrips/Ort, Wuppertal, Germany
3.11 – Q1- Haus für Kultur, Religion und Soziales, Bochum, Germany
2018
Portugal tour in April
17.04 – SMUP, Parede, Portugal
18.04 – Salao Brazil, Coimbra, Portugal
19.04 – Sonoscopia, Porto, Portugal
20.04 – Bar Irreal, Lisbon, Portugal
2017
European Tour in April/May
23.04 – Kampenjazz, Oslo, Norway
24.04 – Mózg, Warszawa, Poland
25.04 – Pies Andaluzyjski, Poznan, Poland
26.04 – Piekny Pies, Krakow, Poland
27.04 – Divadlo29, Pardubice, Czech Republic
28.04 – Jazzwerk Ulm, Ulm, Germany
29.04 – Ulrichsberg Jazzfestival, Ulrichsberg, Austria
30.04 – Studio Amman, Wien, Austria
01.05 – Grid, Praha, Czech Republic
02.05 – Club Cuba, Münster, Germany
03.05 – DokZaal, Amsterdam, Netherlands
04.05 – DE Studio/SoundinMotion, Antwerp, Belgium
05.05 – Dokkhuset, Trondheim, Norway
Premiere of New Rituals pt. I and pt. II
20.05 – Only Connect/Sentralen, Oslo, Norway
27.09 – Periferien/Sentralen, Oslo, Norway
Nakama Records label night
07.10 – Nakama Records arranged a full evening at Nasjonal Jazzscene Victoria in Oslo presenting some of the label’s latest and upcoming releases. Lottery, guest artists and other surprises and of course loads of great musical performances from five different acts: Adrian Løseth Waade’s Jinchuuriki, Filosofer feat. Vilde & Inga, Ayumi Tanaka’s 3 piano project, Andreas Wildhagen solo and a solo performance by the collective’s new member Agnes Hvizdalek
Release of Worst Generation
17.11 – Nakama’s fourth recording Worst Generation is released on CD and LP
2016
Norway/Denmark tour in May
06.05 – nyMusikk Trondheim/Trondheim bibliotek, Trondheim, Norway
07.05 – Toneheim Folkehøgskole, Hamar, Norway
08.05 – JazzCup, København, Denmark
09.05 – Forsamlingshuset 5e, København, Denmark
10.05 – Kristiansand Jazzvesen/Hos Naboen, Kristiansand, Norway
11.05 – Biermannsgården, Oslo, Norway
12.05 – Bergen Kjøtt, Bergen, Norway
13.05 – Kunsthallen, Stavanger, Norway
14.05 – Kunstmuseet KUBE, Ålesund, Norway
Release of Grand Line
23.05 – Nakama’s second recording Grand Line is released on CD and double LP
Japan/Norway tour in October/November
17.10 – Candy, Chiba, Japan
18.10 – Layla, Himeji, Japan
19,10 – At Hall, Oita, Japan
20.10 – New Combo, Fukuoka, Japan
21.10 – Guggenheim, Shioya, Japan
22.10 – Spinning Mill, Osaka, Japan
23.10 – Baar Musica Tio, Shiga, Japan
24.10 – KD Japon, Nagoya, Japan
25.10 – Mokkiriya, Kanazawa, Japan
26.10 – Jazz Flash, Niigata, Japan
27.10 – Airegin, Yokohama, Japan
28.10 – Nardis, Kashiwa, Japan
29.10 – Haretara Sorani Mamemaite, Daikanyama, Japan
31.10 – Skarpretterboligen, Oslo, Norway
01.11 – Kongsberg kirke, Kongsberg, Norway
02.11 – Nylyd/Spriten, Skien, Norway
03.11 – Fryd Scene, Ål, Norway
04.11 – nyMusikk Østfold/Arena Scene, Moss, Norway
05.11 – Nesodden Jazzklubb/Vanntårnet, Nesodden, Norway
06.11 – Larvik vinylklubb, Larvik, Norway
Release of Most Intimate
12.12 – Nakama’s third recording Most Intimate is released on CD and LP
2015
Release of Before the Storm
01.12 – Nakama’s first recording Before the Storm is released on CD and LP