Vanessa Perica is an award-winning composer, arranger and conductor based in Melbourne, Australia. Now she teams up with the Bergen Big Band and comes to USF Verftet, Thursday 7 September, to play music from her critically acclaimed debut "Love is a Temporary Madness".

The album reached number one on the AIR Independent Charts and number three on the ARIA Jazz & Blues Charts. The album was also nominated for the prestigious Australian Music Prize and the AIR Independent Record Awards. Other career highlights include the APRA Art Music Award and the Australian Jazz Bell Award (2021) for 'Work of the Year'.

Vanessa has previously collaborated with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra where she composed and arranged for performances at the iconic Sidney Myer Music Bowl and Hamer Hall. She was also a finalist in the 2021 Australian Women in Music Awards for the 'Emerging Artist Award', and has performed at the Perth, Sydney and Melbourne International Jazz Festivals.

Bergen Big Band has been one of the country's most active and versatile big bands for over 30 years, and has had a number of exciting musical collaborations and commissioned works in recent years. Last year BBB played new music by Knut Vaage at the Bergen Festival and in 2021 they had great success with the music that saxophonist Marius Neset wrote for the big band. Now they have drawn inspiration from Australia, and are ready for new musical challenges together with Vanessa Perica.

www.bergenjazzforum.no