Trondheim Jazz Orchestra
Trondheim Jazz Orchestra (TJO) (established 1999 in Trondheim, Norway) is an orchestral project based in Trondheim, and closely related to both the Midtnorsk Jazzsenter (MNJ - Mid Norwegian Jazz Center) and Jazz Line at the Trøndelag Conservatory of Music (NTNU). Biography. During the 1990s the orchestra was a plain conservatory-band (Konsen Big Band). In 2000 the name of the band was changed to TJO. An important feature with Trondheim Jazz Orchestra is the band's flexible and varying size crew. The orchestra works on a project basis and performs mainly commissioned works of selected composers. TJO has  collaborated with Norwegian composers such as Erlend Skomsvoll, Eirik Hegdal, Vigleik Storaas, Jon Balke, Knut Kristiansen, Geir Lysne, Terje Rypdal and Bendik Hofseth, as well as with international soloists such as Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, New York Voices, Birger Sulsbruck and Joshua Redman. In 2001 TJO toured Norway extensively with Chick Corea, a cooperation based on the concert at Moldejazz 2000. The collaboration resulted in a CD-release ("Live in Molde"), which has sold more than 8000 copies in Norway. The collaboration with Chick Corea was resumed in 2006 with a concert at the Hilton Ballroom in New York City  during the Annual Jazz Conference (IAJE) in January of that year. This concert was a huge success, and as a result the orchestra was invited to the Tokyo Jazz Festival 2006. The cooperation between TJO and Chick Corea was successful once again and well received by a huge group of spectators while also being televised nationally. John Kelman, All About Jazz, states: "... a far reaching orchestra clearly capable of handling anything and everything that's put in front of it". In 2003 the orchestra went on tour in Norway with Pat Metheny. This edition of TJO included musicians such as  Live Maria Roggen, Ola Kvernberg and Steinar Nickelsen. On Moldejazz 2006 TJO did a project with music by Eirik Hegdal featuring Joshua Redman as a soloist, followed by a tour in the late fall of 2008. During "Trondheim Chamber Music Festival" TJO gave their first performance of commissioned work by saxophonist Bendik Hofseth. In 2007 Trondheim Jazz Orchestra were chosen to be the first national «Big Jazz Ensemble» to receive a permanent state subsidy. In 2012 TJO performed at the "Ultima Festival" in Oslo, Norway, performing a new work by Kim Myhr that, in addition to the guitarist, also featured  singer Jenny Hval.