Jazz pianist Eivind Valnes received the Stubø Prize at the Northern Norway Festival • ballade.no

Posted On: June 30, 2023

The Stubø Prize comes from the memorial fund of jazz musician and guitarist Thorgeir Stubø. Stubø died in October 1986, aged just 43. He is often considered one of the country’s greatest guitarists of all time. The Thorgeir Stubø Memorial Fund was established in 1987 and the award will help honor a great jazz musician while stimulating the culture of northern Norway.

The Stubø Prize is awarded every two years to someone who makes or has made a special effort for the jazz environment in Northern Norway. On Thursday evening, the prize was awarded to jazz pianist Eivind Valnes (61), residing in Sørreisa.

Valnes has been a central player in the jazz scene in northern Norway for several decades and an important pedagogue in the development of new jazz talent in the region, says the jury, which refers to Valnes as follows:

The high artistic level of Valnes is documented through a number of CD releases where he participates with various artists, national and international. It can report many educational activities in various institutions. Valnes has, among other things, taught at master’s and bachelor’s level at the UiT Conservatory of Music, where he is employed as an associate professor. Valnes is a teacher who inspires and helps students develop. And it’s an exceptional accompanist for students – whether it’s songs, anthems, pop or jazz. He also did very important work at Kongsbakken High School in Tromsø in the field of rhythmic music and jazz, which contributed to the recruitment of new talent at the Tromsø Conservatory of Music. In addition, he was an instructor in various courses, choir conductor, big band instructor and artistic director of the Målselv fiddle orchestra. You have to search the area for a long time to find a more versatile performer. But jazz is closest to his heart. An important aspect of Valnes’ artistic work are the projects with the music of Arvid Hanssen and with a focus on the visual arts of northern Norway. As a skilled backing musician and session musician, Eivind Valnes has long contributed to the cultural life of the region on many levels.

The Stubø Prize consists of a diploma created by artist Karl Erik Harr and a scholarship from NOK. 25,000. The prize was awarded for the 18th time.

received the Stubø 2023 award at the North Norway Festival on Thursday. Valnes has been a central player in the jazz scene in northern Norway for several decades and an important pedagogue in the development of new jazz talent in the region. The high artistic level of Valnes is documented through a number of CD releases where he participates with various artists, national and international. It can report many educational activities in various institutions. Valnes has, among other things, taught at master’s and bachelor’s level at the UiT Conservatory of Music, where he is employed as an associate professor. You have to search the area for a long time to find a more versatile performer. But jazz is closest to his heart. An important aspect of Valnes’ artistic work are the projects with the music of Arvid Hanssen and with a focus on the visual arts of northern Norway. As a skilled backing musician and session musician, Eivind Valnes has long contributed to the cultural life of the region on many levels.

The Stubø Prize is the highest honor for jazz in Northern Norway, and the prize is awarded every two years to someone who makes or has made a special contribution to the jazz environment in Northern Norway. The idea behind the Thorgeir Stubø Memorial Fund is to honor a great jazz musician and at the same time stimulate the culture of northern Norway.

The Thorgeir Stubøs Memorial Fund Board has the following justification:

“Jazz pianist Eivind Valnes has for several decades been a central player in the jazz environment of northern Norway and an important pedagogue in the development of new jazz talent in the region. Valnes’ high artistic level is documented at through a number of CD releases where he participates with various artists, national and international.In 2015 he participated in the recording “Travel” with the singer Marit Sandvik and the Italian Maurizio Picchió, in a high quality international ensemble Here Valnes demonstrates the musical qualities found in top international jazz musicians.A number of recordings with Norwegian and Northern Norwegian artists demonstrate many of the same technical and musical qualities of jazz. by the pianist Valnes Among the activities of the show, concerts with, among others, should be mentioned Karin Krog, Thomas Franck, Henning Gravrok, Vigleik Storaas and others.

Eivind Valnes can point to many educational activities in various institutions. He has taught at Masters and Bachelors level at the UiT Conservatory of Music, where he is employed as an Associate Professor. Valnes is a teacher who inspires and helps students develop. And it’s an exceptional accompanist for students – whether it’s songs, anthems, pop or jazz.

Valnes also did very important work at Kongsbakken High School in Tromsø in the field of rhythmic music and jazz, which contributed to the recruitment of new talent at the Tromsø Conservatory of Music. In addition, he was an instructor in various courses, choir conductor, big band instructor and artistic director of the Målselv fiddle orchestra.

Eivind Valnes has been widely featured as a “sideman”. You have to search the area for a long time to find a more versatile performer. But jazz is closest to his heart. With his versatile background, he fits easily into different musical contexts. It is a very skilled music player and it is an advantage when changing musical “pastures”.

Valnes is always very well prepared when he comes to train. This makes him the ideal partner. He shows enthusiasm and commitment and makes suggestions on how the music can be developed.

An important aspect of Valnes’ artistic work are the projects with the music of Arvid Hanssen and with a focus on the visual arts of northern Norway. As a skilled backing musician and session musician, Eivind Valnes has long contributed to the cultural life of the region on many levels.

Eivind can be included in folk, show, rock, Latin, classical and jazz musical contexts. He has also worked with children and music. Among other things, he was a musician and musical director for the family musical “Putti Plutti Pott”, as well as for school concerts.

Eivind’s playing has clear traces of legendary jazz pianist Bill Evans. He listens, communicates, is dynamic and creative. Thanks to a thorough knowledge of the harmonica, he colors the music. In terms of jazz, he can be part of groups that cultivate “straight” jazz with extended harmonics, to music that favors airy and more open harmonics. He masters both the delicate and the capricious.

Especially in the context of a piano trio, you can hear Eivind unfold. There is still speculation about the trio section that Eivind Valnes had with bassist Sigurd Ulveseth and drummer Trond Sverre Hansen during Festivals in northern Norway in 1999. Then he surprised the audience with a particularly extroverted and creative – a game that contained everything from the trickiest parts, to expressive sonic surfaces with real thrust.

Eivind Valnes has been active in northern Norway and from his hometown of Sørreisa has performed at clubs and festivals all over the country. He has also toured Canada, Russia, Italy and other Nordic countries.

It’s good that a performer from Midt-Troms – with a not too high density of jazz musicians – receives this year’s Stubøpris. It would be nice if the award helped increase interest in jazz in that part of the country.

We have known for a long time that Valnes has exceptional musical qualities. He also has potential as a leader of his own ensemble with his own repertoire – a top jazz artist. His listeners are eagerly awaiting a musical release under their own name.

Eivind Valnes is a worthy recipient of the 2023 Stubø Award.”

Memorial fund
When Narvik guitarist Thorgeir Stubø died in 1986, aged just 43, jazz lost one of its finest performers and tradition bearers. Stubø really helped put Northern Norway on the world jazz map. The Thorgeir Stubø Memorial Fund was established in 1987.

The previous winners are:

saxophonist Kjell Bartholdsen (1989)

saxophonist Henning Gravrok (1991)

singer Marit Sandvik (1993)

guitarist Øystein Norvoll (1995)

pianist Jan Gunnar Hoff (1997)

drummer Trond Sverre Hansen (1999)

bassist Konrad Kaspersen (2001)

trombonist Øystein B. Blix (2003)

trumpeter Tore Johansen (2005)

guitarist Hallgeir Pedersen (2007)

drummer Finn Sletten (2009)