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Karin Krog

Karin Krog is perhaps Norway's leading jazz singer and certainly its most idiomatic. She is a unique song artist with a great international reputation possessing her own recognizable style and voice. Her constant creative approach towards contemporary jazz has never been bound by tradition, even though her music bears a deep respect for its forms. Karin is equally at home with jazz standards, blues or electronic experimental techniques.

In addition, she has been active in improving the working conditions for musicians and contributing towards a vital jazz milieu. In 1994 she celebrated 30 years since her first released LP as a solo artist.

Karin Krog was born in Oslo, Norway, on the 15th of May, 1937, and started to sing during her teenage years together with various local musicians. She attracted attention during jam sessions at the Penguin club in Oslo, and in 1955 was hired by the pianist Kjell Karlsen to sing in his sextet, followed by her radio debut the next year. In 1957 she sang at the Humlen Restaurant in Oslo in company with some of the best Norwegian jazz musicians of that time, among others tenor saxophonist Mikkel Flagstad and pianist Einar Iversen, participating in several jazz concerts towards the end of the 1950's. She featured in radio broadcasts with several combos and in 1959 was voted first place for female jazz singer in the annual poll of the Norwegian weekly paper "Verdensrevyen" (World's Revue).

Krog was a natural choice on the bill when the first Molde International Jazz Festival was formed, appearing with the Kjell Karlsen quartet. From 1962 she fronted her own groups. In addition, she sang with trombonist Frode Thingnæs' Quintet, pianist Egil Kapstad's trio (1962-64), and studied from 1962 to 1969 with the Norwegian-American singer Anne Brown (the first Bess in Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess"). Karin made her recording debut on the LP "Metropol Jazz" in 1963, and recorded a pair of 45-rpm singles. She made her own solo album "By Myself" in 1964, and performed the same year at festivals in Antibes, France, at Gyllene Circeln in Stockholm and at Kongsberg Jazz Festival in Norway. In 1965 Karin received the Buddy award, the most coveted mark of honour from the Norwegian Jazz Federation. That same year pop music took over the charts and most of the Norwegian jazz clubs began experiencing difficulties, and many folded. However, Krog and her colleagues took direct action and formed the Norwegian Jazz Forum, where she became its first chairman (1965-66). The Forum was instrumental in getting jazz out of the night-clubs and into concert settings, thus securing a place for live jazz performance and providing a platform for jazz musicians to perform and to receive inspiration.

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Radio & Podcasts

The Infinite Variety of the Human Voice

Read "The Infinite Variety of the Human Voice" reviewed by Jerome Wilson


This show examines a wide variety of jazz singing styles, including frisky swinging by Annie Ross and Eddie Jefferson, vocal chorus work from New York Voices, wordless experimenting by Karin Krog and folk song interpretations by Maxine Sullivan and Sheila Jordan. Playlist Henry Threadgill Sextett “I Can't Wait Till I Get Home" from The Complete Novus & Columbia Recordings of Henry Threadgill & Air (Mosaic) 00:00 James Williams & ICU “A Beautiful Friendship" from We've Got What You ...

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Profile

Karin Krog

Read "Karin Krog" reviewed by Suzanne Lorge


For the past two years Karin Krog has led 24 or so jazz buffs from her homeland of Norway on a walking/listening tour through New York City. The group visits some key historical sites and attends shows at Blue Note and Village Vanguard, but what has been missing from the tour, perhaps, is a performance by Krog herself, who for more than 50 years has been one of Scandinavia's most beloved jazz singers. Krog's professional career started early. ...

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Video / DVD

Dexter Gordon and Karin Krog

Dexter Gordon and Karin Krog

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

Dexter Gordon accompanied more vocalists than you might imagine. There was Helen Humes in 1950, Gladys Bentley in 1952, Kitty White in 1965, Pony Poindexter in 1966, Vi Redd in 1970, Miriam Klein in 1973, Eddie Jefferson in 1978 and Tony Bennett in 1990. In the mid-1940s, while in Lionel Hampton's band, Gordon accompanied Rubel Blakey; in Louis Armstrong's band in 1944, Gordon and the band accompanied Velma Middleton, Jimmy Ross and Pops himself; and with Benny Carter in 1946 ...

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Award / Grant

Award for Norwegian jazz singer Karin Krog

Award for Norwegian jazz singer Karin Krog

Source: All About Jazz

Award for Norwegian Jazz Star On the 16th of February singer Norwegian jazz vocalist Karin Krog will be awarded “ The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, First Class”.

This honour is given as a reward for outstanding service to the country and humankind. King Harold is the Great Master of the Order which is named after St. Olav the Holy who first brought Christianity to Norway. This award was first given by King Oscar the 2nd in 1847.

Karin, ...

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Songs About This And...

Meantime Records
2013

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In A Rag Bag

Meantime Records
2012

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Cabin In The Sky

Meantime Records
2011

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Folkways

Meantime Records
2010

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Joy

Meantime Records
2009

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Oslo Calling

Meantime Records
2008

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