Jazz legend Ron Carter was to perform for a full house in Oslo on Thursday. Instead, the 84-year-old spent the evening in a quarantine hotel: – I am broken, Carter says to VG.
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The four Americans in the Ron Carter “Foursight” Quartet have been fully vaccinated, have tested negative and had an entry permit to Norway in their luggage.
They should be in Oslo less than 24 hours. Nevertheless, the musicians and the manager were sent in quarantine at a hotel in Helsfyr, after they arrived at Gardermoen from Stockholm.
– I hope you understand how terrible it feels that we can not play for all those who had looked forward to hearing our music, says double bassist Ron Carter to VG.
He was to open the first set of “Flamenco Sketches” by Miles Davis, which he played with in the sixties. Instead, the concert at Cosmopolite Scene had to be canceled.
– It’s completely unreal. I have been touring Europe for 40 years and have never had a day like this, sighs the quartet’s German manager Frank Kleinschmidt.
–The organizer had arranged an entry permit through the Norwegian Maritime Directorate and presented a quarantine plan for the short stay in Norway.
– One driver was to drive them between the airport, hotel and stage. They should keep their distance from the audience and not have contact with anyone, says Marthe Heggenhougen at Cosmopolite.
She is the acting general manager at the concert venue and admits that they took a chance.
– But the band has crossed borders in Europe without problems. They play in one country one night, another the next. We can not quarantine working musicians on tour.
– Absolutely ridiculous
Kleinschmidt and tenor saxophonist Jimmy Greene were waved through at Gardermoen. Pianist Donald Vega, drummer Payton Crossley and Carter were stopped.
– I was not allowed to talk to a superior, there was no room for negotiation. All five tested negative at the airport. Nevertheless, we were sent in quarantine, says the manager.
Kleinschmidt says that the musicians’ vaccine passports from the USA have been accepted throughout the EU.
– But for some reason not in Norway. It is completely ridiculous, says the manager.
Cosmopolite says that on Thursday they have been in contact with the Ministry of Health, the National Institute of Public Health, the Directorate of Health, the Directorate of Immigration and the Ministry of Culture – to no avail.
– Unreasonably handled
– We are completely shocked at how unreasonable this situation has been handled and that there is zero generosity for cultural life in Norway. This must end soon, says Heggenhougen.
She says Cosmopolite had planned for a safe implementation of the concert.
–On the phone from the hotel room, Ron Carter says on his own behalf that he is really sorry.
– I can not believe that I am not allowed to perform for an audience, just because the politicians do not want it to happen. What happened to music as our international language?
The 84-year-old says that those he has met in Oslo have been gracious.
– But there is a kind of retaliation in the air. Because the United States does not allow you to enter the pandemic, you do not allow us to enter your country, either, says Carter.
– Politics in the way of art
He is said to be the most used bassist in history and has contributed to nearly 2,500 recordings. Carter has appeared on Norwegian stages a number of times.
– It is terrible that politics got in the way of art tonight, says the jazz legend.
Cosmopolite Scene has paid the full fee and will refund everyone’s tickets.
– This is a big loss for us, but even more so for the audience. We had visitors from all over Amsterdam who came to hear a musical legend, says Heggenhougen.
Operations Manager in the Eastern Police District Terje Marstad does not know the specific case.
– But I would assume that they are quarantined, because the documentation was not in order. Then it does not matter if they are musicians and will hold a concert, Marstad says to VG.
The Carter Quartet are all fully vaccinated, however Norway does not accept corona passports from the USA.
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