Thomas Johansson (trp), Kristoffer Berre Alberts (sax), Ola Høyer (bs), Dag Erik Knedal Andersen(dr)
Cortex is a spirited combo that plays energetic jazz of the finest brand. They have been active since 2007, and have performed over two hundred live-performances and released five critically acclaimed albums. The quartet from 2007 to 2020 consisted of Thomas Johansson - trumpet, Kristoffer Alberts - saxophones, Ola Høyer - double bass, and Gard Nilssen - drums, with Dag Erik Knedal Andersen replacing Gard Nilssen from 2020. The band positions itself as one of the strongest additions to the Norwegian jazz scene, and the members are amongst the most sought after young jazz performers in Norway today.
They all have also marked their position in several other constellations such as: Bushman’s Revenge, Puma, PNL Large Unit, SAKA, All Included, Zanussi 5, Friends & Neighbors, Honest John, and The Heat Death.
Cortex has done extensive touring in Norway, Sweden, Germany, Czech Republic, Belgium, France, Italy, Slovenia, Portugal USA and Japan, and their records has been bestowed with praise from international critics:
“….Gard Nilssen and bassist Ola Høyer provide sleek, muscular propulsion for Johansson, one of the most agile and robust trumpeters i´ve heard in years, and saxophonist Kristoffer Alberts; the horn men blow tart unison melodies, then break apart to deliver high-velocity improvisations that fall somewhere between the tempo-shifting alacrity of John Zorn´s Masada and the harnessed chaos of Hal Russell´s NRG Ensemble.»
– Peter Margasak, The Chicago Reader
“ ´Göteborg´ establishes Cortex as one of the greatest bands currently working in Norway.”
-Eyal Hareuveni, All About Jazz
“You want genre labels, call it avant garde party music.”
-Daniel Spicer, Jazzwise
Cortex is supported by the Norwegian Arts Council and Music Export Norway.
PREVIOUS SHOWS
2020:
09.01: Inderøy Jazzforum
10.01: Narodni dom Maribor, Slovenia
11.01: Pr´Gabrijelu, Cerkno, Slovenia
25.01: Finsejazz
04.03: Urijazz, Tønsberg
05.03: Stavanger Katedralskole
05.03: Utyske, Stavanger
07.03: Blå, Oslo
16.10: Live @Tou Lyd, Stavanger
2019:
11.09: Vågsbygd VGS
11.09: Kristiansand Jazzvesen
12.09: Dahlske VGS
12.09: Arendal Jazzklubb
13.09: Risør Jazzklubb
14.09: Flekkefjord Jazzklubb
15.09: Mandal Jazzklubb
18.09: Nasjonal Jazzscene
19.09: Skien VGS
19.09: Skiensjazzdraget
20.09: Bø Jazzklubb
2018:
12.09: The Iron Cow, Orlando
14.09: iF Art Center, Columbia
15.09: The Black Iris, Richmond Cancelled!!
16.09: Rhizome, WashingtonDC Cancelled!
17.09: The Niles Gallery, Lexington
18.09: Bop Stop, Cleveland
20.09: Elastic Arts, Chicago
21.09: Kerrytown Concert House, Ann Arbor
22.09: James May North Gallery, Algoma, Wisconsin
15.03: Nasjonal Jazzscene, Oslo
14.04: Voss Jazzklubb, Voss
18.04: Kulturni Centar Mesnicka, Zagreb
19.04: Centro d`Arte, Padova, Italy
21.04: In Situ Art Society, Bonn, Germany
22.04: Klub Gromka, Ljubljana, Slovenia
02.06: Nattjazz, Bergen
2017:
13.01: Hadeland Jazzforum
16.01: PØKK!, Trondheim
10.03: Art Acts, St. Johan
30.06: Gocka Garden Music Festival, Serbia
01.07: Jazzibar Festival, Kraljevo, Serbia
12.07: Copenhagen Jazzfestival
26.08: Jazz Festival Saalfelden
22.09: Bimhuis, Amsterdam
03.10: The Tambourine Lounge, Sturgeon Bay WI
04.10: Constellation, Chicago IL
05.10: Bop Stop, Cleveland OH
06.10: Trinosophes, Detroit MI
08.10: The October Revolution Festival, Philadelphia PA
10.10: Nu Blu, New York City NY
11.10: Neptunes Parlour, Raleigh NC
12.10: If Art Gallery, Columbia SC
13.10: Petras Bar, Charlotte NC
16.10: CM5, Orlando, FL
2016:
15.02: Moskus, Trondheim
17.02: Hendrix Ibsen, Oslo
18.02: Hamar Jazzklubb, Hamar
21.02: Playdate, Bergen
19.03: Vossajazz, Voss
21.05: Jazz Cerkno, Cerkno
22.05: Ring Ring Festival, Belgrade
23.05: NMH Exam Concerts, Nasjonal Jazzscene, Oslo
22.06: The Royal Room, Seattle, USA
23.06: Skin&Bones, Kelowna, Canada
25.06: Vancouver Jazz Festival, Canada
26.06: Hungry Brain, Chicago, USA
28.06: Trinosophes, Detroit, USA
29.06: Bop Stop, Cleveland, USA
30.06: Rochester International Jazz Festival @ 7:30 pm
30.06: Rochester International Jazz Festival @ 9:30 pm
17.08: Blow Out! Festival, MIR, Oslo
11.10: Skiensjazzdraget, Ibsenhuset, Skien
12.10: Bø Jazzklubb, Bø Hotell
13.10: Nasjonal Jazzscene - Clean Feed Label Night, Oslo
2015:
20.01.15: B-Flat, Berlin
22.01.15: Café De Ruimte, Amsterdam
24.01.15: Sound In Motion, Zuidpershuis, Antwerpen
18.03.15: Nasjonal Jazzscene Victoria, Oslo
10.05.15: SpringOn! Festival, Porto
27.05.15: Cultural Centre Dom, Moskow
29.05.15: Nattjazz, Bergen
02.07.15: Kongsberg Jazzfestival
09.09.15: Constellation, Chicago
10.09.15: Sattelite Records, Kalamazoo
11.09.15: The New Ghost Series, Cleveland
12.09.15: Farish Theater, Lexington Library
13.09.15: The Shed, Durham
14.09.15: Conondrum, Columbia
15.09.15: Kings Barcade, Raleigh
17.09.15: Shapeshifter Lab, NYC
18.09.15: iBeam Brooklyn, NYC
09.10.15: Stavanger Jazzforum - Norway
10.10.15: Bømlo Kulturhus - Norway
11.10.15: Kabuso - Øystese - Norway
12.10.15: Voss jazzklubb - Voss - Norway
13.10.15: United World College - Fjaler - Norway
2014:
20.01.14: Arendal Jazzklubb, Arendal
21.01.14: Big Dipper, Oslo
12.03.14: New Combo, Fukuoka, Japan
13.03.14: Ashita No Chitzu, Kagoshima, Japan
14.03.14: At Hall, Oita, Japan
16.03.14: Big Apple, Kobe, Japan
17.03.14: Jazz Spot Candy, Chiba, Japan
18.03.14: Super Deluxe, Tokyo, Japan
04.04.14: Kaffefuglen, Oslo
21.05.14: Nutshell, Nattjazz, Bergen
05.07.14: Ljubljana Jazzfestival, Slovenia
10.07.14: Jazz im Goethe Garten Festival, Lisboa, Portugal
11.07.14: S.M.U.P, Parede, Portugal
03.08.14: Clusone Jazz Festival, Clusone, Italia
17.09.14: Jazz Evidence, Kongsberg, Norway
18.09.14: Storyville Jazzklubb, Molde, Norway
19.09.14: Chagalle, Bergen, Norway
20.09.14: Zoid!, Tou Scene, Stavanger, Norway
17.11.14: Jazztopad, Wroclaw, Poland
12.12.14: Jazz Bez Festival, Lublin, Poland
2013:
27.02.13: Volume 7, Tours, Frankrike
28.02.13: Le Periscope, Lyon, Frankrike
01.03.13: Velvet Club, Turin, Italia
02.03.13: Condorito Club, Cuneo, Italia
25.05.13: Nattjazz, USF Verftet, Bergen
12.09.13: Nasjonal Jazzscene Victoria, Oslo
13.09.13: European Jazz Meeting, Dokkhuset, Trondheim
09.10.13: Ad Lib Jazzklubb, Sinus, Bodø
10.10.13: Skiensjazzdraget, Sitt Ned, Skien
11.10.13: Glen Miller Café, Stockholm
12.10.13: Glen Miller Café, Stockholm
27.11.13: Czech Radio Jazz Fest, Jazz Dock, Praha
30.11.13: Nublu – New York
02.12.13: The Shrine – New York (Harlem)
03.12.13: Ars Nova Workshop – Philadelphia
06.12.13: Firehouse – Brooklyn, NYC
07.12.13: Orion – Baltimore
10.12.13: Jerrys – Chicago
11.12.13: The Sugar Maple – Milwuakee
27.12.13: SMOG, Kafé K, Porsgrunn
2012:
29.02: ÆÆ/Cortex/Lord Kelvin Bonanza. Blå, Oslo
01.03: Sitt Ned Kunst og Café, Skien
03.03: Antikvariatet, Trondheim
02.03: Nasjonal Jazzscene, Victoria, Oslo
26.04: Soddjazzfestivalen, Inderøy
26.09: Jazz Evidence, Kongsberg Jazzklubb
22.10: Sund FHS, Inderøy
23.10: PØKK! Blæst, Trondheim
24.10: Drammen Jazzforum, Union Scene
25.10: Bøker og Børst, Stavanger
26.10: Teaterfabrikken, Jazzsirkelen, Ålesund
10.11: Sørveiv, Kristiansand
04.12: Blow Out! Mir, Oslo
05.12: Sitt Ned Kunst og Cafè, Skien
06.12: Hamar Teater, Hamar Jazzklubb
12.12: Kaffefuglen, Tokyo – Japan
13.12: At Hall, Oita – Japan
14.12: New Combo, Fukuoka – Japan
16.12: Nu Things, Osaka – Japan
18.12: Super Deluxe, Tokyo - Japan