Ensemble Denada is not a traditional big band. The idea behind the ensemble is to achieve small-band dynamics with thrice the number of people - for the sound of it! Contrabass clarinet, quadraphonic electronics, 10 formidable horn players and a high-ranking piano quartet conclude the line up.
Ensemble Denada merge European tradition with jazz and native Norwegian expressions into a blend of strict composition and free improvisation. The overwhelming response from press and audiences show that large ensembles definitely have a place in the broadening jazz continuum of the 21st Century.
Ensemble Denada is the large jazz ensemble of East Norway Jazz Center
news
AND EVENTS
New music for Ensemble Denada
Helge Sunde is in the process of writing new music for Ensemble 
Denada.The new pieces will reach the band in August. Date and place of the premier performance is unknown. A rumor suggests that Denadas pianist Olga Konkova is in the line of fire.
upcoming
CONCERTS 2010
22.7 Stryn Kulturhus
23.7 Molde International Jazz Festival
12.9 Asker Kulturhus
13.9 Centralstation, Darmstadt
15.9 Unterfahrt, München
16.9 Tollhaus, Karlsruhe
17.9 St. Wendeler Jazztage
18.9 Sortland Jazzfestival
16.10 Lillehammer Jazzfestival Dølajazz
20.11 London Jazz Festival
21.11 Jazz International Rotterdam
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myspace
Helge Sunde Ensemble Denada
agents
AND MANAGEMENT
Agent Europe
F‐Cat productions
Agent Scandinavia/Italy
Kjell Kalleklev management
Management website
East Norway Jazz Center
contact
images
High resolution image
downloads for the press
Helge Sunde Ensemble Denada
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Photo credit: Paal Audestad
Olga Konkova
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Photo credit: Paal Audestad
Helge Sunde
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Photo credit: Paal Audestad
Helge Sunde portrait
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Photo credit: Christine Gullhav
Helge Sunde & Anders Eriksson receive ECHO award
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Photo credit: BVMI M.W Stenhagen
Helge Sunde playing trombone
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Photo credit: Ann Iren Ødeby
Denada poster september 2009
11,4 MB PDF external page
Denada poster (English)
11,4 MB PDF external page
Denada poster (norsk)
11,4 MB PDF external page
rider
AND LINE UP
Denada stage plot fall 2009 PDF
Denada stage plot w. Marilyn Mazur
September 2010 PDF
Denada revised rider 2009 (input, backline & hospitality)
Line up Denada (normal)
Remark: Line up in September 2010 features additional crew/performer
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| Our album “Finding Nymo” (ACT) was awarded the ECHO Deutscher Musikpreis JAZZ 2010 for Big Band album of the year. Ensemble Denadas most frequently featured guest soloists are the musicians of the band. On this album, our saxophonist brothers Frode and Atle Nymo contributed with some astonishing interpretations of Helge Sundes music. | |||
“Finding Nymo” ACT 9492‐2
“So fresh, so hot, complex, passionate and style‐spreading innovative has no big band played for a
long time. Wonderful!”
RONDO Klassik & Jazz Magazin (DE) Werner Stiefele
“A cracker of a contemporary big‐band album...Sunde's Denada ensemble has produced powerful
work before, but the balance of moods, melodic variety and arranging ingenuity on Finding Nymo (the sax‐playing Nymo brothers Frode and Atle are star soloists) ought to raise his standing outside
continental Europe.”
The Guardian (UK) John Fordham
“Piano player Olga Konkova also comes forward with strong minded‐solos and an almost Michelangelan sensitivity in the “travel letter” “Valse Trieste”, in a brief sequence arranged by
Sunde as if it were a love letter from Maria Schneider to Maurice Ravel”
Dagbladet (N) Terje
Mosnes
Press text (Norwegian)
video
| Ensemble Denada is supported by the City of Oslo and Arts Council Norway | |
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