Northern Lights
May 2005 By Christopher Porter
What We Must
Ninja Tune
Jaga Jazzist co-leader Lars Horntveth is a prodigy, having started the band and recorded an album by the time he was 14. The reedist/guitarist/keyboardist released his first solo CD last year, the incredible Pooka (Smalltown Supersound), which won Norway...
May 2005 By Christopher Porter
Vision
Jazzway
The Core is led by drummer Espen Aalberg, and his playing-busy and powerful but not distracting or overwhelming-is front and center on Vision (Jazzaway). On "Pharoah" (written by bassist Steinar Raknes) and "7th Father" the music builds like mid-'60s Coltrane...
May 2005 By Christopher Porter
Sparkling
Jazzway
Trinity is led by Kjetil Moster, and his Coltrane-isms continue on Sparkling (Jazzaway), though the power of his horn is dimmed a touch by a roomy mix. "Trinity (For Gato Barbieri)" is lower key, but the band blasts off on "Locked Room (For Paul Auster...
May 2005 By Christopher Porter
Rock
Jazzaway
Thomas Stronen is also the drummer on Bayashi's Rock (Jazzaway), a free-jazz recording featuring multireedist Vidar Johansen and legendary bassist Bjornar Andresen, who died last year. Andresen came up with the likes of Jan Garbarek and played with Terje...
May 2005 By Christopher Porter
Sangam
ECM Records
The title of Trygve Seim's latest CD, Sangam (ECM), means "confluence" or "learned gathering" in Sanskrit, or sometimes it's used to describe the meeting point of three rivers. Naming your album Third Stream ain't as arty, but that's what the tenor/soprano...
May 2005 By Christopher Porter
Last Supper
Rune Grammofon
Food is another band that features Arve Henriksen, joined by bassist Mats Eilersten and the English saxophonist Iain Ballamy and drummer Thomas Stronen. The group's second disc, Last Supper (Rune Grammofon), is one more dazzling example of the sort of intelligent...
May 2005 By Christopher Porter
The Ground
ECM Records
On the surface, pianist Tord Gustav-sen's music might fit your average description of the Nordic sound-all dreamy fjords, windswept snowdrifts and winters that last for years. But if you listen close to the Tord Gustavsen Trio's gorgeous album The Ground...
May 2005 By Christopher Porter
Absence in Mind
Jazzaway
Pianist Anders Aarum, bassist Mats Eilertsen and drummer Thomas Stronen (him again) create a beautiful quiet storm on Absence in Mind (Jazzaway). Don't start thinking this is an Anita Baker record: The music is soft but intense, like a gentle shower that...
May 2005 By Christopher Porter
Pathfinder
Jazzaway
Using smart instrument voicings and a roomy but crystal clear recording, alto saxophonist Jon Klette, the man behind Jazzmob and the Jazzaway label, makes his quintet sound larger than its size on Pathfinder (Jazzaway), which swings like mad. "First Airborne...
May 2005 By Christopher Porter
In Praise of Dreams
ECM Records
Jan Garbarek's influence on today's generation of Norwegian players is in ample evidence, but his latest, In Praise of Dreams (ECM), sounds like it was made using out-of-the-box soft-synth sounds and drum patterns. Garbarek has long used synthesizers in...
