Two Weeks: 19.02.–05.03.2026.

Can Vinterjazz really be called a festival? Given that literally any music event in Copenhagen from late January through February is simply lumped under Vinterjazz’s generous wing, it’s hard to say. Whatever it is, it did help bring some much-needed social occasions to this year’s persistent winter wonderland. As it reaches its final stretch over the next ten days, Vinterjazz still has a few gems to offer before the regular concert season starts with a bang.

This Thursday, February 19th, Jason Dungan will bring his experimental ambient americana project, Blue Lake, to KoncertKirken for a quartet performance accompanied by Pauline Hogstrand, Tomo Jacobson, and Tomas Gubbins. We haven’t had the opportunity to see Blue Lake perform live with a band since the release of his acclaimed latest album, The Animal. According to his Instagram, they will also use the organ. Exciting! Danish composers and improvisers Randi Pontoppidan and Christian Rønn, who have released two collaborative albums, will open the concert at 20:00, with Blue Lake performing at 21:00. Tickets, priced at 100 and 150 kr, will be sold at the door.

That same evening, on the other side of the city, Dutch ambient guitarist Jonny Nash will play at Yderlandet with Tomo Katsurada at an event hosted by the Copenhagen-based label True Nature. Also performing are Dawda Jobarteh and DJs Emma Acs and True Blue. The program starts at 19:00, and tickets are 150 kr at the door.

On Saturday, February 21st, the Eget Værelse collective presents Valby Vokalgruppe and CTM at Christianshavn Beboerhuset. Consisting of Lil Lacy, Sonja LaBianca, Cæcilie Trier, Anja Jacobsen, and the new addition of Laura Marie Madsen (with Trier taking a break from performing live with the group), Valby Vokalgruppe is renowned for its intricate vocal explorations. Read our review of their stunning 2025 album, Solids for Voices, here. Also performing is Cæcilie Trier with her solo project, CTM.

The Sunday Sessions at KoncertKirken on February 22 will feature solo performances by Danish trombonist and composer Maria Bertel and Jean-Philippe Gross, as well as a duo performance by Copenhagen-based Italian saxophonist and clarinetist Francesco Bigoni and bassist and producer Luca Curcio. The shows start at 20:00, and tickets can be bought at the door.

Our gig of the week alert goes to Rafael Toral’s show at ALICE on Wednesday, February 25th. Thanks to Fergus Jones’s label and promoter outlet, FELT, we will have the opportunity to see the Lisbon-based experimental music legend perform his Guitar Concert project. The concert follows renewed interest in Toral’s work, sparked by his excellent last two records: 2024’s Spectral Evolution and last year’s Traveling Light. Opening for Toral is Treen, a free improvisation trio consisting of drummer Jan Philipp, pianist Gintė Preisaitė, and alto saxophonist Amalie Dahl.

We’re wrapping up this year’s Vinterjazz with Hypno Qlub IV at KoncertKirken on Friday the 27th – a Swedish evening, if you will. The program features performances by Copenhagen-based sisters Pauline and Nicole Hogstrand, as well as solo shows by Ola Sandberg and Erik Klinga. The Hogstrand sisters have played together in various ensembles, including Damkapellet, Crush String Collective, Halvcirkel, and Blue Lake. Erik Klinga, a modular synthesis specialist, has just released his new album, Hundred Tongues. Hot tip!

On that same Friday, Janushoved will host their previously postponed event at Mayhem. The lineup features live performances by Franarchy, Heva Vaupel, and jjjacob, as well as DJ sets by Freja Valentin and Karoline Møbius. The event may offer a glimpse into some of Janushoved’s upcoming releases, including katharsis label head jjjacob’s Afbrudt Evighed and Freja Valentin’s collaborative album with Internazionale, Love Is Not a Fugue State, both scheduled for release in early March. The first concert starts at 8:30 p.m., and admission is 80 kr.

Finally, the first week of March treats us to seeing the proud owner of the 2025 Wire Album-of-the-Year title. On Thursday, March 5th, the UK experimental electronic artist aya will play ALICE. Known for her intense, one-of-a-kind performances, aya shifts between various modes of deconstructed club music, incorporating hardcore influences. This should be a good one!