Bodil Niska & band

The owner of the legendary Bare Jazz club brings her saxophone and band to Stabekk Jazz Club at Fornebu.

"Damn! The woman can PLAY!" was Sonny Rollins' reaction when he first heard Bodil Niska. She plays in the tradition of Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Stan Getz, etc., and captivates the audience with her melodic, soft, and soulful saxophone playing.

Many may recognize Bodil as the cheerful and steadfast lady behind the counter at the record store and café Bare Jazz in Oslo, which unfortunately had to close its doors in 2020 due to corona restrictions. With over 30 years of experience at jazz festivals worldwide and throughout Norway, including the Oslo Jazz Festival, Sildajazzen in Haugesund, Varanger Festival, etc., Bodil has made a mark. She is featured in the world's largest jazz magazines and has also been awarded the Spellemann Prize for jazz on Norwegian TV.

Bodil Niska is an exiled Hammerfest native who has been living in Oslo since 1989. Through her mentor, jazz journalist Randi Hultin, she quickly integrated into the city's jazz scene, starting the trio "Girl Talk" with Elisabeth Walker (piano) and Tine Asmundsen (bass). Towards the end of the 90s, she formed the Bodil Niska Quartet. In 2009, she received the Ella Prize from the Oslo Jazz Festival for her contributions as a musician and her efforts in the Norwegian jazz scene.