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Ingvi Þór Kormáksson
Ingvi Thor Kormaksson (Ingvi Þór Kormáksson) is an Icelandic songwriter. He’s been writing songs for the past 30 years and has to this day 13 albums to his credit. Altogether he's had ca. 200 of his compositions recorded by various artists. He’s mostly written in the AC genre, but jazzy chord progressions, blues, bossanova and samba rhythms are often featured in his music, and sometimes folk music traditions can also be heard. Ingvi's group, JJ Soul Band, is named after an Englishman, John Soul, who lived and worked in Iceland for several years but is now back in UK. - Ingvi Thor and JJ were a songwriting team and together they founded the group in 1993. JJ Soul Band’s albums are 'HUNGRY FOR NEWS' (1994), 'CITY LIFE' (1997), “REACH FOR THE SKY” (2002) and at last “BRIGHT LIGHTS” (2008). In 2020 two outtakes from the last album were discovered and published on music sites as the single "Wild About You / Some Nights". JJ passed away in August 2020. Ingvi wrote the music for the album Latin Faculty / Latínudeildin, which featured some of Iceland's best jazz musicians and vocalists. Members of JJ Soul Band have assisted with arranging and performing on Ingvi’s Icelandic albums where the music is often written to modern poetry by Icelandic authors. In the more pop oriented songs Ingvi works with Icelandic lyricists. Popular Icelandic pop and jazz artists have performed on Ingvi’s albums. He's also written 13 solo piano pieces for the album, "Laghent" (2016), performed by Icelandic jazz pianist and composer, Agnar Már Magnússon. 2020 also saw a collection of older Smooth-Jazz / Latin songs on an album called "Instrumental Collection - Leikin lög".
Awards
INGVI THOR KORMÁKSSON: TONIGHT (also titled LOVE ME TONIGHT) – (Eivor Palsdottir / Gudrun Gunnars) Icelandic title: Í nótt (Eivor Palsdottir / Ellen Kristjans) by Ingvi Thor Kormaksson (music) and Fridrik Erlingsson (lyrics) 1. prize (latin category); Song Expo (Benelux International Song & Culture Festival), 2003 , 1. prize (instrumental / jazz category); UNISONG 2004, 1.prize (funk/latin/world); “3rd Overall Winner”; 100% Music Songwriting Contest, 2008 2. prize; “Runner Up” (World Music Category); John Lennon Songwriting Contest, 2004 Finalist (folk / country category); The UK Songwriting Contest, 2003 , Honorable Mention Awards (“World” category”); Billboard Song Contest, 2004 Available on 1st Smooth Jazz Avenue (Sony/BMG) and In Love With Jazz (QL Music) EVRÓVISION 1986-2003 (Skífan), 100% Sumarást (21 12 Culture Company), Kvöld í borginni (21 12 Culture Company), Gleðibankinn (Skífan), Glitra gullin ský –instrumental version- (Zonet) “WHEN YOU ARE NEAR” – 1) achievement Award, UNISONG 1998 - 2) honor award, USA Songwriting Competition 2001 - 3) finalist, Song of the Year Awards (nov. 2006)- instrumental/jazz/world category "THE MIRROR" - achievement Award, UNISONG, 2001 “I ALMOST TOUCHED YOU” (A götu), finalist, Unisong, 2001 (jazz category). “Í HÚSINU MÍNU ER ÞOKA” finalist, UNISONG, 2007 (non-english category) “Í HÚSINU MÍNU ER ÞOKA” USA Songwriting Contest, 2007 (Honorable Mention Award) Channel 1 Radio Song Contest, 1999; 2. prize: “VID DÖNSUM SAMBA” Ljósalagid 2004, finalist: “NÓTTIN HVÍSLAR” Kormaksson & Soul (JJ Soul Band) "CITY LIFE" (City Life) - 1. prize; R&B/Jazz category; USA Songwriting Competition, 1997. “ANGELIQUE” (Reach For The Sky) 1. prize; Jazz/Blues cat.; Pacific International Song Contest, 2005 “COOL TONIGHT” (Reach For The Sky) – 1st Place Award; SongPrize, 2004 "WATCH OUT" (Hungry For News) - 2. prize; the 4th Hastings International Songwriting Contest, 1996. "ALTERED STATES" (City Life); achievement award; UNISONG International Song Contest 1997 "CAN´T WAIT A LIFETIME" (Reach For the Sky) honor award; The Great American Song Contest, 2000. “THE TIMES WE’RE LIVING IN” (Reach For The Sky); finalist; UK Songwriting Contest, 2002. “BETTER” (Reach For The Sky) – finalist; Unisong International Song Contest, 2003. “MOONBRIGHT – MOONLIGHT” (Reach For The Sky) – finalist (jazz&blues); UK Songwriting Contest, 2003. JJ SOUL BAND (album: Reach For The Sky) - Finalist (Blues/R&B); Independent Music Awards, 2004 “GETTING COLDER BY THE YEAR” (Bright Lights) Finalist / Nominee; LA Music Awards 2007; “REALLY WILD” Finalist / Nominee; Hollywood Music Awards 2008; “THAT KINDA MAN” Finalist 100% Music Songwriting Contest, 2008 “I’VE BEEN HAD AGAIN” (Bright Lights). Finalist (Jazz/Blues) UNISONG International Song Contest 2009 “BRIGHT LIGHTS”; Finalist (Jazz/Blues) UNISONG International Song Contest 2009. “FRONT PAGE NEWS” (Bright Lights). Finalist; IAMA 2011. “FRONT PAGE NEWS” (Bright Lights). "SPECIAL FEATURE"1. prize; Dallas Songwriters' Association Song Contest 2019. "SPECIAL FEATURE"; Finalist, HAMMA 2019. "PAGO PRA VER", Finalist, USA Songwriting Competiton 2021.
Tags
REVIEWS: JJ Soul Band - CITY LIFE JJ SOUL BAND - HUNGRY FOR NEWS, 1994 – Music by ITK and JJ Soul. English lyrics by vocalist- extraordinaire, JJ Soul, said to be remindful of Tom Waits, Ray Charles and Joe Cocker. Some of Iceland’s finest musicians play in the band. Blues fused with light jazz and rock. “12 earlier works from this highly unique and original Icelandic group. Some exceptional songs including Dark Eyes and also the title track.” - Norman McCourt (An’ R Magazine, sept. 2002) JJ SOUL BAND – CITY LIFE, 1997 – More blues/jazz-fusion but also latin flavours
