Record Reviews

OYVIND BRAEKKE ~ FROM NOW ON OSLO SESSION RECORDINGS 009 (Barcode: 7090025837579) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is the 2nd album by Norwegian Jazz trombonist / composer Oyvind BraekkeFind albums by this artist and his sextet, which also includes saxophonist Jorgen MathisenFind albums by this artist, guitarist Jacob YoungFind albums by this artist, violist Bergmund Waal SkaslienFind albums by this artist, bassist Bardur Reinert PoulsenFind albums by this artist and Swedish (resident in Norway) drummer Erik NylanderFind albums by this artist. The album presents six tracks, all of which are original compositions by Braekke. The music is a very interesting mixture of composed modern Jazz and Free Improvisation, which is fascinating in its highly unusual sound, due to the unconventional lineup / instrumentation. Although there are plenty of great soli by all the musicians involved, the music is all about the ensemble interplay, which is truly sensational. It becomes immediately obvious that these are all highly skilled musicians, which of course is well documented by their individual recording legacy, but this particular get together is highly unique in very many ways. The compositions, although extremely complex, are all wonderfully coherent and serve ideally as a vehicle for the musicians to express their individual contributions within the ensemble. There is so much great music coming out of Norway in the last couple of decades, mainly due to the excellent educational system and openness to musicians coming from all over Europe, and this album reflects this development perfectly. As a result, there is a lot of Norwegian Jazz recordings available, which is really heart-warming. Overall, this is an excellent, interesting and absorbing modern Jazz of the finest quality, which reflects the incredible level of the Norwegian / Scandinavian Jazz scene, rejuvenated by the new generation of incredibly talented musicians. This is absolutely something worth being discovered, especially to Jazz listeners not yet familiar with that scene. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 10/11/2023Posted: 10/11/2023

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WAKO ~ LIVE IN OSLO ORA FONOGRAM 179 (Barcode: 7090015631798) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021 This is the fifth album by the Norwegian Jazz-quartet WakoFind albums by this artist and their first live recording, presenting material recorded during two separate concerts in Oslo, both during 2020. The quartet consists of saxophonist Martin Myhre OlsenFind albums by this artist, pianist Kjetil Andre MulelidFind albums by this artist, bassist Bardur Reinert PoulsenFind albums by this artist and drummer Simon Olderskog AlbertsenFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, five composed by Olsen and four by Mulelid. Six of the tracks were recorded with an expanded lineup with four guests, which expanded the lineup to an octet, two were recorded by the quartet only and one is a piano solo interlude. The music is absolutely brilliant from start to finish, amalgamating modern Jazz with Free Jazz improvisations, contemporary Classical Music influences and superb open-mindedness, which combined with the excellent playing technique and at times plain virtuosity, manage to create an uplifting flow of musical consciousness which simply never stops for the duration. Obviously the pieces performed by the octet offer more opportunity for soloing and the guests, all excellent instrumentalist by themselves, use that environment to show their chops as well. But the music is first and foremost about ensemble performances and faithful presentation of the wonderful compositions, with the individual statements being mostly ornamental. The album testifies not only to the strength of Wako as a formidable ensemble worth following, but also emphasizes the incredible level of the young generation of Norwegian Jazz musicians, who have made a significant mark on the European scene, far beyond the few famous names that were known worldwide in the 20th Century. Overall this is a beautiful, challenging and enjoyable album, which should make all modern European Jazz listeners fully satisfied, and since these musicians are also involved in other projects, keep an eye (or better an ear) on them in the days to come. Brilliant stuff!

Updated: 04/07/2021Posted: 04/07/2021

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WAKO ~ UT AV DET NYE ORA FONOGRAM 195 (Barcode: 7090015631958) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is the sixth album by the Norwegian Jazz quartet WakoFind albums by this artist, which comprises of saxophonist Martin Myhre OlsenFind albums by this artist, pianist Kjetil Andre MulelidFind albums by this artist, bassist Bardur Reinert PoulsenFind albums by this artist and drummer Simon Olderskog AlbertsenFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, four each by Olsen and Mulelid and one by Poulsen. The album returns to the classic acoustic Wako lineup and style, with music based on beautiful, well-constructed melodies, which are ideal vehicle for the improvisation. The music is lyrical and very relaxed, somewhat soaked in the Nordic Jazz characteristic of slow development, as if hesitant, but always perfectly balanced. Olsen and Mulelid carry most of the leading lines, but the quartet, as always, functions perfectly as a unit, with the responsibility shared by all four members. The music flows gently, but keeps the listener on the edge at all time, as unexpected turns and twists pop up on a regular basis. Overall, this is another excellent album by Wako, which by now firmly established its position as one of the leading Norwegian ensembles, all this in parallel to further activities by the quartet members in other ensembles. Wholeheartedly recommended, and a most for Nordic Jazz lovers!

Updated: 01/03/2023Posted: 01/03/2023

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WAKO & OSLO STRINGS ~ MODES FOR ALL ETERNITY AMP 014 (Barcode: 662578831068) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is an album by Norwegian Jazz quartet WakoFind albums by this artist, which comprises of saxophonist Martin Myhre OlsenFind albums by this artist, pianist Kjetil Andre MulelidFind albums by this artist, bassist Bardur Reinert PoulsenFind albums by this artist and drummer Simon Olderskog AlbertsenFind albums by this artist, expanded to a septet with the addition of a string trio. The album presents six original compositions, all by Olsen, one of which is a five-part suite. The music is a brilliant amalgam of Improvised Music and European Modern Classical tradition, which combines composed pieces and improvised spur of the moment creations in a unique and highly original way. In many respects this music continues Olsen´s debut recording "Lonely CreaturesFind albums with this title", which revealed his enormous potential as composer. His use of the strings, which become an integral part of the ensemble, is especially interesting and points out to some novel arranging techniques, which are rarely seen elsewhere. Although conceptually the music might be seen as based on the work of the Early 20th Century Modernists, it certainly has it own values and qualities and constitutes an up to date version of these Classical Music elements. In spite of the fact that the music is very complex and multi-layered, it is at the same time quite accessible. Of course repeated listening sessions are required to penetrate the full depth of the musical intricacy, but the music is welcoming from the very first approach, which is pretty amazing. The album attests to the incredible renaissance of European Jazz and associated music, which presents new aesthetic heights and intellectual values, which have been dormant for a while. Norway has become a most fertile ground for New Music, and this album is just one of many great pieces of music originating there. Olson is definitely a musician worth following and surely he is going to surprise us with many new projects in the future. In the meantime this is a highly challenging and highly praiseworthy album, which hopefully will be heard by as many people as possible. Connoisseurs of non-trivial, rich and aesthetically fulfilling music will find plenty of it herein, and will discover more of it with every listen. Highly recommended!

Updated: 24/07/2017Posted: 24/07/2017

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