Jazz Ensemble úngút

These are “songs about animals and criminals as well as being about love and tragic fate” (Rosa Kristin Baldursdottir / singer )

“úngút” is an Icelandic expression which means “to brood, to hatch (out) ; hence a new life”.  Jazz ensemble úngút opens new musical paths with the traditions of authentic icelandic folk music.

The archaic and powerful sound of this music is directly inspired by the eruptive Icelandic landscapes.  The songs are driven by the tension between a life with nature and the desire for shelter, warmth and a feeling of security.

Pianist and composer Peter Arnesen was a successful London studio musician, recording and touring with well known Rock, Jazz and Pop bands as well as being a founding member of The Rubettes. In jazz ensemble úngút he presents a sensitive and thrilling approach to Icelandic music, transforming them into lucid jazz pieces.

CD review in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

This collection, “Songs of Iceland” provides the listener with material from the very depths of folk tradition. The pieces have their roots in the theatre, the nursery room and in the vast and varied landscapes of this largest volcanic island on our planet.

Ensemble úngút takes us on a many sided musical journey with singer Rosa Kristin Baldursdottir, Bassist Einar Sigurdsson and the english pianist Peter Arnesen. His jazz-inspired arrangements exude an elesian atmosphere with just a hint of personal irony.