Viktoria Tolstoy and Jacob Karlzon Trio at Nisville

21 Mar Viktoria Tolstoy and Jacob Karlzon Trio at Nisville

Great great granddaughter of Leo Tolstoy – the Swedish jazz star arrives in Nis

One of the best jazz vocalists in the world, the Swedish jazz singer of Russian origin Viktoria Tolstoy, will perform at the upcoming Nisville with the trio of the famous Swedish pianist Jacob Karlzon on Saturday, August 16.

Although it immediately “catches the eye”, in the official biography of Viktoria Tolstoy it is only at the end (under trivia): “yes, she is the great-great-granddaughter of the famous Russian writer Leo Tolstoy”!

Viktoria has (from 1994 to date) released 14 solo albums, guested on a dozen other musicians’ releases, including two albums with the famous Swedish trombonist Nils Landgren (“Funky ABBA” and Sentimental Journey). Apart from Landgren, she has collaborated with all the leading Swedish jazz musicians (Ulf Wakenius, Esbjorn Svensson, Svante Thuresson, Putte Wickman, Arne Domnerus, Jojje Wadenius…), but also with big world names: McCoy Tyner, Ray Brown, Toots Thielemans… Viktoria performed all over Europe (Scandinavia, Germany, Great Britain, Switzerland. Italy, Spain…) but also in South Africa, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico… She is a favorite singer of Pat Metheny, whose composition “A Moment of now” is performed by Viktoria on her homonymous album. The famous guitarist once told her: “when you sing – the sun rises”.

The aforementioned Nils Landgren, who is also her friend and producer, says : She is a totally natural talent, someone who just gets it all in an instant. No explaining has to be done when learning a new song, no corrections has to be made when recording. Viktoria is simply an extraordinary talented woman with an almost scary instinct for different styles and modes. No matter what she takes on, she nails it right away. And, she delivers every time and, how she does it! On top of that, she is someone to hang with and to have fun with, on and off stage which is a very important aspect in the way of getting along with an artist. Her laugh is famous as well as her sense of humor. Often with a twist but always positive. Her smile melts glaciers and her appearance does never go unnoticed. In a word: Viktoria is a complete artist. – Nils Landgren, producer and fellow artist.

Jakob Karlzon, who often collaborated with Victoria (they also released the duo album “A moment of now”) who will accompany her in Nisville with his trio, has released about fifteen albums under his own name, and has performed and recorded with well-known world names, including Dominic Miller, Billy Cobham, Kenny Wheeler, Bob Berg, Jeff Ballard, Nils Landgren, Rigmor Gustafson, Norma Winstone….

On the already mentioned album (for voice and piano) “A moment of now”, which will be the basis of the program for Nisville, Viktoria and Jacob Karlzon in a very specific way perform compositions by authors ranging from Cole Porter, through Metheny and Zawinul, to Stevie Wonder, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Allais Morrisette and Mark King… Thus, the Nisville audience will almost certainly hear the big hit “Lessons in love” twice. The first time in the original performance of “Level 42” at the opening on Thursday, August 14, and the second time – on Saturday, August 16.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVQTmxhtlkU Lessons in Love

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cikACQadQEM Red Rain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfDU3zOCTas Funky ABBA