Record Reviews

MMO ENSEMBLE ~ LONELY CREATURES ORA FONOGRAM 097 (Barcode: 7090015630975) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by Norwegian saxophonist / composer Martin Myhre OlsenFind albums by this artist and his MMO EnsembleFind albums by this artist, which is his platform to present his music projects. The ensemble is an octet and includes also vocalist Kari Eskild HavenstromFind albums by this artist, baritone saxophonist Eirik HegdalFind albums by this artist, violinist Adrian Loseth WaadeFind albums by this artist, guitarist Viljar Dyvik SellevoldFind albums by this artist, Swedish pianist Oscar GronbergFind albums by this artist, bassist Bjorn Marius HeggeFind albums by this artist and drummer Simon Olderskog AlbertsenFind albums by this artist. The music is a concept eleven-part suite composed by Olsen, which he defines as "embracing stories from distant past or future, imaginative beings and fairytales". The album´s artwork suits the above description perfectly. Also melodic and lyrical, the music includes a fair amount of freely improvised passages, which somewhat contradicts the a/m idyllic description of its character. The instrumentation / orchestration of the music causes it to sound like some of the contemporary Classical chamber efforts, but the improvised parts anchor it within the Jazz idiom, creating an interesting cross genre amalgam with a self-defined aesthetics. At times the music also ventures into a "soundtrack mode" or Cabaret music, all being different manifestations of Olsen´s vision as a composer. Strangely enough, although characteristically European, it has no Scandinavian flavors, neither Folklore nor Jazz related, and sounds like something that might have been composed by a German, Austrian or East European composer. This might be the influence of the Trondheim University Music Department, where Olsen and the ensemble members have studied. The individual performances are all top notch. Especially praiseworthy is the usage of the human voice as an instrument, a tendency quite popular lately with young European composers, and the vocalese parts are some of this album´s best moments. But all the instrumentalists also play extended solos and there are plenty of opportunities for personal statements. The rhythm section has a difficult task of keeping the music flowing, especially in view of the fact that most of the tempi are extremely slow. As a result the bass provides an almost metronome like pulse and the drums ornament the music rather than setting the pace. Overall this is a very impressive debut effort, which shows Olsen´s great potential as a composer and the ensemble members as rising young Jazz and beyond musicians. The music is far from being trivial and requires attentive listening and a lot of patience in order to be absorbed properly, with repeated listening session being highly recommended. "Don´t judge the book by its cover" fits the bill perfectly here, as the album is way darker and profound than its exterior. It is heartwarming to hear young European musicians producing work of such quality like this one, which does not swing and is not based on trivial chord progressions, yet nevertheless manages to become challenging, intelligent contemporary Jazz, rather than an echo of ancient and weathered traditions. Well done indeed!

Updated: 10/10/2018Posted: 08/05/2016

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KJETIL ANDRE MULELID ~ NOT NEARLY ENOUGH TO BUY A HOUSE RUNE GRAMMOFON 2196 (Barcode: 7033662021963) ~ NORWAY ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album as a leader by Norwegian pianist / composer Kjetil Andre MulelidFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio format with bassist Bjorn Marius HeggeFind albums by this artist and drummer Andreas Skar WintherFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine pieces, eight of which are original compositions by Mulelid and one is a free improvisation. The music is melody based modern Jazz, but with many elements of freedom and space, which allows it to develop into unexpected directions. The melodic themes are stated at the beginning of each tune, but further on the music becomes more improvised, complex and rhythmically irregular. Surprisingly the music is not typically Nordic in its nature and in a blindfold test could not be easily identified as originating from Norway, probably due to the contemporary Classical Music influences it tends to exhibit, rather than the Nordic melancholy and lyricism. The rhythm section plays exceptionally well, with the bass supporting the piano work steadily along the way but the drums taking a lot of liberties and often wandering into separate planes, creating a wonderful tension and sense of exploration. Mulelid obviously is a very able pianist and his usage of tempi and silent breaks add a lot to the overall effect of the music. This music is quite unique in many ways, and as such difficult to classify. It would be probably too difficult for listeners of swinging piano trio Jazz, but should be very well received by modern and Free Jazz connoisseurs. Considering the young age of these musicians, this is certainly a very strong and promising debut, which shows enormous potential and interest. Definitely worth exploring and following these artists in the future!

Updated: 24/11/2017Posted: 24/11/2017

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KJETIL ANDRE MULELID ~ WHAT YOU THOUGHT WAS HOME RUNE GRAMMOFON 2208 (Barcode: 7033662022083) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the second album by young Norwegian Jazz pianist / composer Kjetil Andre MulelidFind albums by this artist, recorded in the same piano trio setting like his debut, with bassist Bjorn Marius HeggeFind albums by this artist and drummer Andreas Skar WintherFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, eight by Mulelid and one by Hegge. The recording offers exceptional sound quality, which of course is crucial in the case of piano trio recordings. The music is more melody oriented than the debut, with well defined themes, which are later basis for improvised passages. Most of the tunes are slow tempo, rather introvert and lyrical, and this time have a distinct Nordic elements in them, again in contract to the debut album. As a result both these albums could be looked upon as complementing each other and presenting different personal / musical elements, which are both parts of their creator. To some extent this album is somewhat better balanced and focused, which marks a clear progression as far as Mulelid´s compositions are concerned. Of course some of the music is free spirited and open, as appropriate for modern Jazz, but it never looses the touch with the melodic current underneath. The performances are perfect in every respect, both those by the pianists and the rhythm section, which supports the leader amicably gracing him with a lot of breathing space and even leaving him completely solo at times. The ensemble camaraderie is marvelous at all times and the trio performs as one spiritual body, combining their talents into one faultless union. For lovers of Jazz piano trio albums, this is certainly a rarity that should not be ignored and as such it is absolutely worth seeking out. The music is accessible to a wide range of listeners, and although artistically refined, it is not over-intellectual, resulting in an unadulterated listening pleasure for the entire direction. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 17/09/2019Posted: 17/09/2019

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KJETIL ANDRE MULELID ~ WHO DO YOU LOVE THE MOST? RUNE GRAMMOFON 2229 (Barcode: 7033662022298) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is the fourth album by Norwegian pianist / composer Kjetil Andre MulelidFind albums by this artist and the third album recorded with his trio, which also includes bassist Bjorn Marius HeggeFind albums by this artist and drummer Andreas Skar WintherFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten tracks, eight of which are original compositions by the leader, one is a freely improvised piece and one is an interpretation of a composition by controversial American singer / songwriter Judee SillFind albums by this artist. Two compositions are trio versions of two tracks that appeared on Mulelid’s solo piano album “Piano”, released a year earlier. The music continues the work frame of the two previous trio albums, presenting wonderfully melodic themes expanded into trio improvisations, with a solid Nordic atmosphere prevailing but some Gospel roots also occasionally popping up. Both the leader and the rhythm section display highly developed technique and splendid Jazz sensibility, creating an exemplary teamwork in the process. It seems that the trio managed to develop over the five years of its existence a unique stylistic niche, which puts them apart from most other Scandinavian piano trios, with a more open and at times Free approach, rather than staying within a rigid melody based context. Overall, this is splendid piano trio Jazz album, which should make the many fans of the genre very happy, especially those enamored in the Nordic sound. Mulelid firmly established his position on the Norwegian scene, and is a talented representative of the young European Jazz scene, which proudly continues the Jazz tradition, often also searching to expand the horizons. Well done, again!

Updated: 24/07/2022Posted: 24/07/2022

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