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Andres Thor

One of Icelands leading jazzguitarists of his generation

Andres Thor began his musical studies at age 12 in his hometown Hafnarfjordur, a little harbour town nearby Reykjavík, Iceland. At first his influences where glitter rock and Hippie rock bands such as Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix and Bon Jovi. In his teens Andres first heard the music of John Coltrane and Pat Metheny wich led him to slowly getting more and more fascinated with jazz music. Soon Andres started studying with some of Icelands finest jazz educators at the FIH music school. After graduating his musical quest brought him to study at the Koninklijk Conservatorium (The Royal Conservatory) in The Hague, The Netherlands from the year 2000. Andres finished his BM in spring 2004 and his Masters degree in the spring of 2006. In Holland Andres studied under the guidance of Wim Bronnenberg, Peter Nieuwerf, Eef Albers, John Ruocco and Hein v/d Geyn as main teachers but also attended workshops and masterclasses lead by musicians such as Michael Brecker, Kurt Rosenwinkel, John Abercrombie and Avishai Cohen as well as performing with the great Michael Brecker and the Royal Conservatory big band at a concert held in City Hall in The Hague.

Living and studying in the Netherlands lead to the first cd featuring Andres as a co-leader; “It was a very good year” (WW&T 2004) by the organ trio “Wijnen, Winter & Thor” and featured songs by Andres and organ player Bob Wijnen and one collectively composed piece by the trio.

Since then Andres has been based and working in and out of Iceland and has released three Cd’s under his own name; New Day (Dimma 2006), a quartet outing featuring original compositions by Andres. Blik (Dimma 2009), a trio recording featuring fresh arrangements of standards and two originals. Monokrom (Dimma 2012), a quartet featuring new compositions by Andres that set a new tone in the guitarists repertoire.

Andres has also worked in collective projects and as a sideman with bands like ASA trio, The Viking Giant Show, BonSom and Andreas Dreier quartet to name a few. As well as perfoming regularly all across his home country of Iceland Andres has performed in the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Germany, Luxemburg, Spain and USA.

Andres has been working as a music teacher at the FÍH music school and performing as a session musician in studios, at concerts and in theater productions.

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7
Album Review

Andres Thor: Paradox

Read "Paradox" reviewed by Friedrich Kunzmann


Guitarist Andrés Thor leaves little to be desired on his new recording Paradox. Featuring an all-star cast of New Yorkers Orlando Le Fleming and Ari Hoenig, as well as Icelandic compatriot Agnar Magnusson, Thor delivers a quiet set of original material which finds a quartet cautiously feeling its way through the changes. The guitar's smooth tone blends into the compositional frames with ease, and the accompanying instruments follow suit. Climactic moments and special tensions aren't born out of ...

8
Album Review

Andres Thor: Nordic Quartet

Read "Nordic Quartet" reviewed by Jakob Baekgaard


Even though it is a small country, Iceland has produced many interesting jazz musicians. Among them, pianists Sunna Gunnlaugs and Eythor Gunnarsson, saxophonist Óscar Gudjónsson and bassist Skúli Sverrisson. Add to this list guitarist Andrés Thor. As a musician, Thor has the distinctive lyrical beauty of many of his countrymen, but he is also a cosmopolitan at heart who stretches across geographical boundaries and this is reflected on his album Nordic Quartet. His group includes Danish bassist ...

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“I always enjoy Andres Thor when he lets go and allows the barbarian that lives within to blossom ��" he did so right away in the first song.” Vernharður Linnet, Mbl 4. Febrúar 2007

“He (Andres) is already one of the best icelandic jazzguitarists and composers”

“Andres is a magnificently good guitarist with a soft tone and often manages to make the guitar sing as well as being very entertaining while playing chordmelodysolos……” Vernharður Linnet, Mbl. 16. Ágúst 2006

“Thor is an very interesting guitarist with a round, warm and singing tone, What intrigues is the marvellous quality of his improvisation with chordmelody.” Erik Pelkmans, Jazzenzo.nl 12. Desember 2006

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Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Paradox

Self Produced
2019

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Nordic Quartet

Nordic Notes
2014

buy

Monokrom

Avatar Records
2013

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Heima

From: Monokrom
By Andres Thor

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