Mikael Máni Quintet - Half Sun Release Concert (IS)
Iðnó
Sunday August 30
8 PM
The fifth album by Mikael Máni, Half Sun, will be released in the summer of 2026, and the music from that album will take center stage at these concerts. Mikael Máni’s quintet will also perform older works from previous albums, alongside cover versions in fresh new arrangements.
The quintet consists of:
Mikael Máni — guitar
Henrik Linder — bass
Magnús Trygvason Eliassen — drums
Lilja María Ásmundsdóttir — metallophone
Tómas Jónsson — keyboards
This is an adventurous combination of musicians known for spanning a broad range of genres, from pop fusion to contemporary classical music. The ensemble has rarely performed in this exact formation, making the concert a special occasion in which they will revisit the album they recorded together last year.
Mikael Máni is a guitarist and composer with a distinctive and highly personal style that resists easy categorization. His connection to jazz lies more in his approach to the instrument than in any direct link to a particular style or canon. His music reveals influences from Nordic folk melodies, rock music, impressionism, and, above all, a uniquely cinematic atmosphere.
International media have praised Mikael’s distinctive style and sincere musical expression. His previous album, Guitar Poetry, was released in March 2024 and marked his debut release for the German label ACT Music, one of Europe’s leading jazz record companies. The album received a 4.5-star review in DownBeat, one of the world’s most respected jazz magazines.
Born and raised in Reykjavík, Mikael received the Icelandic Music Award for Jazz Album of the Year for the quintet’s previous release, Innermost. He first gained major attention with his debut album Bobby, a concept album inspired by the life of the controversial chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer. The album received airplay on BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 6 Music, as well as on Icelandic and French national radio stations, while the album’s most popular track has surpassed 1.2 million streams on Spotify. His second album, Nostalgia Machine, explored his musical world even further.
Mikael Máni is part of a new wave of Icelandic musicians receiving international recognition, and his work strongly reflects the innovative spirit that characterizes Iceland’s vibrant music scene.
“An impressionistic gem.” ★★★★½
— DownBeat (USA)