About
Gro-Marthe Dickson (b. 1984, Norway) has been put in the big suitcase that’s called «jazz», but her experience and background is also from soul, gospel, folk and somewhat pop music. During her upbringing there was gospel and jazz on the stereo at home, and there was always an instrument – counting in the voice here – around. In her education she’s had classes with great Norwegian vocalists such as Solveig Slettahjell, Elin Rosseland, and Hilde Norbakken.
She’s the leader and singer of the jazz quartet D-lovely, where she also writes Norwegian lyrics to Cole Porters music. The group was established in 2015, has released two albums (AMP Music & records 2019, 2021), and is heading into its 8th year as a touring group. The quartet’s main repertoire bases itself on jazz standards, but in their own arrangements and versions. The music has shown itself to be likeable both amongst the “jazz heads” and those who is not feeling very bewandered in the world of jazz.
Dickson is a singing and administrative member of vocal impro ensemble Oslo14, a regional project established under Eastern Norway Jazz Center (Øst-Norsk Jazzsenter). The ensemble has cooperated with several composers, such as Guro S. Moe, Camille Norment, Sofia Jernberg and now – Elin Rosseland (who also started the ensemble in 2014). They have performed in different venues and festivals around Norway, from Ilios in Harstad, north, and Kongsberg Jazzfestival.
Together with Petter Hauglum Bermingrud, Dickson is running the big band project “Sing ‘n’ swing”. A show concert where they are singing producers, so to say. They go together with different big bands on different levels to create a concert in a “Sinatra at the Sands”-fashion, with an aim to spread the word about amazing big band jazz and its prime era.
Not just a singer…
Dickson joined in starting up the local jazz club in March 2022, where she now functions mainly as booking manager. She’s a co-owner of the wee record label Smia Records, teaches singing and band/ensemble at a music school, and on occasion she takes on private students and courses. She also runs a project where 1st graders and the eldest in kinder gardens come together to sing a concert – to get to know each other before starting school, and so create community via music.
