Record Reviews

SIRIL MALMEDAL HAUGE / KJETIL ANDRE MULELID ~ BLUES AND BELLS GRAPPA 4757 (Barcode: 7033662047574) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is the debut album by the Norwegian duo comprising of vocalist / songwriter Siril Malmedal HaugeFind albums by this artist and pianist / composer Kjetil Andre MulelidFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven songs, three of which are originals by the duo and the rest are their arrangements / interpretations of Pop / Jazz standards. Although primarily associated with Jazz, the duo members take somewhat liberal approach to their Jazz roots on this album, creating a unique atmosphere, which blends many musical influences. The intimate setting allows for close dialogue between the two musical souls, which is always the most important aspect of any musical cooperation. Hauge has a very particular timbre and vocal expression, which I personally like very much, but might perhaps not be for everybody. It is somewhat theatrical and cabaret oriented, and her English accent is charmingly foreign. But all in all I always enjoyed her vocals, although I suppose I’d have preferred her singing in her Mother tongue. Mulelid is an excellent pianist and proved to be also a sensitive accompanist. His improvisations are sometimes a bit intense for this intimate setting, but on the other hand they are significantly enriching the musical tapestry of the entire album. Overall, this is a very agreeable and enjoyable vocals / piano duo, with strong ties to Jazz, but not strictly Jazz per se, making it accessible to a relatively wide audience. Beautifully recorded, the music is certainly elegant and inviting, which should make many music lovers happy.

Updated: 01/04/2023Posted: 31/03/2023

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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 ~ PIANO RUNE GRAMOFFON 2220 (Barcode: 7033662022205) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021 This is the third album as a leader by Norwegian Jazz pianist / composer Kjetil Andre MulelidFind albums by this artist and his first solo piano recording. The album presents eleven original compositions, all by Mulelid. The music is very melodic, lyrical and melancholic, with clearly defined outlines and repeated waves of improvisations, always returning to the basic melody. There are many references to Classical Music forms, with long arpeggios and other Romantic gestures, which take the music further and further away from the traditional Jazz idiom. The resulting music is therefore only marginally Jazz oriented, and would appear to be more appealing to listeners of solo piano Classical music, rather than Jazz enthusiasts. Considering the fact that the compositions tend to be somewhat similar to each other and offer relatively little dynamics and diversity, listening to this music might prove to be somewhat trying to more hot blooded Jazz music lovers. I must confess that I found the two trio albums by Mulelid, as well as his work with the WakoFind albums by this artist ensemble, to be more rewarding, but of course this is just my personal opinion. He is undoubtedly an excellent pianist and an important part of the young Norwegian Jazz scene, and is sure to contribute many more important recordings in the future.

Updated: 17/08/2021Posted: 17/08/2021

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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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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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