They have been called some of today’s most enthralling young, Norwegian jazzmusicians. Taking saxophonist and composer Amalie Dahl’s compositions as their point of departure, the expressive and dynamic jazz quintet demonstrate how clearly one can communicate when instruments do the talking.

“A good place to start to quickly learn who are the most exciting, young, Norwegian musicians of today” writes ballade.no enthusiastically about Amalie Dahl’s Dafnie. The expressive jazz quintet, lead by Danish saxophonist and composer Amalie Dahl, make music, that insists. Their compositions consist of thoroughly composed cells and melodies, as well as structures and moods that the ensemble improvises around and uses as a shared focal point. It requires mutual attentiveness, and that is clearly felt when the five musicians — besides Amalie Dahl, also including Oscar Andreas Haug on trumpet, Jørgen Bjelkerud on trombone, Nicolas Leirtrø on double bass, and Veslemøy Narvesen on drums — take the stage together. With emphasis on together.

Since 2021 Amalie Dahl’s Dafnie has made a name of themselves on the European jazz scene thanks to comprehensive touring and two album releases, ‘Dafnie’ (Sonic Transmissions, 2022) and ‘Står op med solen’ (STR & Aguirre, 2024. Both records have received excellent reviews nationally as well as internationally. They won a Danish Music Awards in 2024 for their single “We don’t want your stupid war.” The song was written by Amalie Dahl in 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine, but it stands up against war across time and space. Sometimes that is best done without any words.

Said about Amalie Dahl’s Dafnie

“The quintet, a sort of dream team of this new Scandinavian generation, seems unable to disappoint. And if, for Dahl, friendship and work are the keys to this precocity, we can, after this encounter, add that artistic vision and honesty are also guarantees of success.”  – Citizen Jazz

“The quintet’s dynamics are organic and democratic, with enough space for individual interpretations of Dahl’s themes, and manage to be emotional, playful, full of boundless and fresh energy, and complex at the same time. (…) Amalie Dahl’s Dafnie delivers another great album, that demonstrates the passion, wisdom and emotional power of its music.” – Salt Peanuts

The concert is part of the Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2025, taking place from July 4th to July 13th at 120 venues throughout the capital. See the program at www.jazz.dk