In 2016, the Norwegian pianist and composer Espen Berg was commissioned to write for the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra. With the opportunity to hand-pick a line-up consisting of 14 of Scandinavia’s most creative and prolific jazz artists, Espen grasped this opportunity with both hands and a mind bursting with ideas. MAETRIX premiered at Molde Int’l Jazz Festival in 2017 to a standing ovation, making the audience shake their head in awe. However, MAETRIX isn’t just an impressive feat, it’s also incredibly beautiful music.
28
May
[ May 31th, 2024 release on Odin Records: FLUKTEN – Flukten ]
With their first album «Velkommen håp» [Welcome Hope], Flukten won a Norwegian Grammy in the jazz category. Now, four years later, they´re releasing their much anticipated second album called «Flukten».
It has become an album that feels very much like ‘us.´ Flukten’s uniqueness lies in the strong interplay we have developed over time, says guitarist Marius Klovning. The studio process was straightforward; Hanna Paulsberg (saxophone) and Marius Klovning (guitar) in the large recording room, Bárður R. Poulsen (bass) and Hans Hulbækmo (drums) in their respective spaces.
12
May
[ May the 20th, 2022 release via Odin Records – Espen Berg Trio – Fjære ]
In May 2022, Espen Berg Trio are releasing their fourth album on Odin Records. Fjære [Tide] consists of seven new compositions by Berg and was recorded during a time where being together has been difficult. As a counterweight to this and as a symbol of togetherness and friendship, the trio has invited three guests artists for the first time: Mathias Eick (trumpet), Hanna Paulsberg (sax) and Silje Nergaard (vocal).
03
Sep
[ September the 3rd, 2021 release via ODIN Records: Flukten – Velkommen håp ]
release date: 03.09.2021 via Odin Records
“A wide spanning debut that makes the most of Hanna Paulsberg’s blistering sax over a riotous rhythm section seemingly battling severe ADHD. Flukten’s lovelier side surfaces amid Klovning’s mellow guitar ruminations, while sideways nods to Per Johansson and Paul Motion complete a thrillingly uneasy listen.”
★ ★ ★ ★
MOJO
Flukten [The Escape] release their debut album, Velkommen håp [Welcome Hope) on CD, LP & DL through ODIN Records on the 3rd September 2021.
01
Apr
[ April the 2nd release from ODIN: Gard Nilssen’s Supersonic Orchestra – If You Listen Carefully The Music Is Yours ]
release date: April 2, 2020 via ODIN
Fasten your seat belt, please. Get ready for the full tilt, barely tamed, beautiful monster that is Gard Nilssen’s sixteen-piece Supersonic Orchestra. Audacious and experimental, like everything the Norwegian drummer and composer touches, Supersonic flouts convention and, in particular, realigns the longstanding relationship between pre-composition and improvisation in orchestral jazz. If You Listen Carefully The Music Is Yours, its debut, was recorded live at the adventurous Molde International Jazz Festival in 2019, where Nilssen was Artist in Residence. The band’s uniquely configured, all-star lineup features three drummers, three double bassists and ten horn players, most of them saxophonists.
31
Dec
Hanna Paulsberg Concept + Magnus Broo – Daughter of the Sun (released on 19th of October 2018) Label: ODIN records, ODINCD 9565, JAZZ
Fourth recording from young saxophonist and the leader of Norwegian quartet Hanna Paulsberg, brings some new inspirations. To me equally interesting is a dedication of the record to Pharoah Hatshepsut, which these days when the world is ruled by weak and false male hypocrites and the women need to fight for their rights again, has a special meaning.
Like them back in time Hatshepsut had to fight for her independence and respect, what sadly shows that despite so called civilisation the humanity goes in circles over and over through the same gender wars. But let’s get back to the music.
Paulsberg’s inspirations, unlike most of the other Scandinavian players are not taking that much from the folklore but heading back towards an American source and as a natural extension, back to their African roots. This project in particular shows that concept.
An opening Scent of Soil starts with a lovely intro, doubled with the harmony created by the choir of musicians in short choruses. Leadingbass line and holding melody piano are both creating a canvas for that slowly opening piece, where Hanna together with the special guest, trumpeter Magnus Broo holding the melody together solo or in lovely unisons. It brings the intensity of the late Alice Coltrane recordings with a spiritual twist hidden between the lines, but also with very vivid trumpeter’s solos a contemplative nature, Jon Hassel alike.
Another track, Serriana has similar harmonic richness but with more figurative appearance of the brass, audible when melody is passed by from one musician to another and then held back in circles.
Little Big Saxophone coming after is a different creation. Piano and rhythm section is waving the framework for high brass flights. Here is where intense double lines from sax and trumpet are dialoguing with percussive piano chops. Again, Broo’s presence seems to be a great idea giving a band departure from the sound which we are remembering them for from the past recordings. This Brass Fantasy brings to the memories Lester Bowie’s conversations with Hamiet Bluiett, but in a different register of course.
Hemulen Tar Ferie is my favourite piece from that recording, possibly because it comes in its onomatopoeic approach as close to my beloved an Art Ensemble of Chicago or AACM sound in general. It is most intuitive track with a lot of invention developed from all the band members and holding into simple and beautiful melody in the same time.
Title tune is the One about her. It has that nomadic feeling, with the drummer creating a Caravan alike feeling on rides with bassist chopping intervals and laying the groove in the same time. Sax lines are very pretty here, very Coltrane-esque in their simplicity and they had been executed. Lovely straight notes, not a lot of thrill, which had been left for trumpet to bring. Duets of both instruments are brushing a clear view for the subject with no doubts or foggy feeling.
Closing Bouncing with Flower Buds, is again bringing a post AACM aesthetics with lots of freedom given to the rhythm and articulation allowing musicians to elevate their voice in the mutual tissue into a different level of the conversation. Lovely piece which I admire a lot. Phenomenal recording all together.
18
Oct
[ October 2018 release from ODIN – Hanna Paulsberg Concept + Magnus Broo – Daughter Of The Sun, 19th October 2018 ]
Ever since Jan Garbarek put Norwegian jazz on the map in the late 1980s, and even more so after the international success of his rigorously ascetic Officium in 1994, the music has acquired a reputation for being, if not entirely lacking in passion, then for being, at least, emotionally detached. More recently, with the emergence of a new generation of Norwegian musicians aligned with the electronica movement, the country’s jazz has, justly or unjustly, acquired a parallel reputation for being obsessed with technology and overly self-referential.