Tag Archives: Jazz

Norwegian pianist Tord Gustavsen often is the king of scandiwegian cool. Still, the restraint he workouts communicates a broad gamut of emotions, the like of that are not often heard in any inventive context. In some ways, Gustavsen is a Bill Evans for the twenty first Century; he’s good at attending to the center of the matter. On this newest album, the primary since 2018’s The Other Side, Gustavsen is joined by a brand new bass participant Steinar Raknes, a fellow Norwegian who makes use of electronics to change the sound of his instrument. Drums, in the meantime, stay the area of long-time ally Jarle Vespestad with out whom Gustavsen’s albums wouldn’t be the identical.

The really feel of Opening is extra sombre than its predecessor. Not that Gustavsen was ever overly full of life and upbeat, however there’s a contact calmer right here. His albums have at all times encapsulated the ECM sound, and the crisp readability, exact reverb and ‘inky black’ backgrounds are as soon as extra to the fore on this recording. It’s a lot part of Gustavsen’s sound that it’s laborious to think about how a unique label would deal with such finely nuanced work.

Album opener ‘The Circle’ is a melodic piece with shining piano over plucked bass and mushy however strong drums and percussion. It’s very a lot the Gustavsen model of sublimity masked as simplicity, however all it’s a must to do is shut your eyes, and the sensation behind these notes transcends language and will get straight via. ‘Findings / Visa från Rättvik’ is an early spotlight, its drum and bass intro (the devices not the musical model) construct environment and we get the primary publicity to Raknes’ bowing method that options extremely on this album. Then the piano begins to swirl, and the cymbals splash round it to create an ethereal but strong sound that’s entrancing. The title observe combines electronics with instrumentation to create the impact of a looming storm. Still, as a substitute, it brightens up because the deep atmosphere ebbs away earlier than the piece reaches its denouement comparatively too early.

‘The Longing’ is even shorter and downtempo with lovely chords flippantly embellished with sticks on cymbals, the piano shimmering gently. The bowed bass on ‘Shepherd Song’ is augmented to create an impact like low backing vocals earlier than the proper chords of Gustavsen’s piano are available in and convey one thing similar to a groove, a rarity on this artist’s oeuvre. It nearly makes the observe sound like a daily jazz trio, however the nuances of the taking part in put it on a better plain.

The bowed bass is closely bolstered on ‘Helensburgh Tango’ which creates scale over a brooding snare drum that rustles like a rattlesnake over the occasional low kick drum punch. Like ‘Re-Opening’ which follows that is extra of an ensemble piece, but when the piano lastly will get into the highlight the sweetness begins to circulation; you may’t beat the keyboard for delivering the emotional quotient.

‘Findings II’ evokes a starry night time with glowing notes over quiet backing, the quietness of the piece revealing the depth of the soundstage that ECM likes to supply with refined use of echo and reverb. ‘Stream’ brings us again to extra acquainted territory for Gustavsen, right here he invests what seems to be the lightest of phrases with which means whereas the bass brings chunky bodaciousness to maintain issues shifting in the suitable route. ‘Ritual’ marks a definite change in model, with Raknes seemingly lower unfastened to ship one thing like an electrical guitar league on the bass, the sound being harking back to Dan Berglund previously of E.S.T. This observe is borderline aggressive, however fortunately Gustavsen is not any Jon Lord.

The album ends with two people tunes, ‘Fløytelåt / The Flute’ is superbly delicate with what often is the bass producing a whistling backdrop within the Ennio Morricone model on the intro and Gustavsen channelling the great things in full impact. The Finale ‘Vær sterk, min sjel’ brings us again to the pianist’s consolation zone with an open-hearted, heat and optimistic tune that can allow you to drift in excellent ease.

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Norwegian pianist Tord Gustavsen often is the king of scandiwegian cool. Still, the restraint he workouts communicates a broad gamut of emotions, the like of that are not often heard in any creative context. In some ways, Gustavsen is a Bill Evans for the twenty first Century; he’s good at attending to the center of the matter. On this newest album, the primary since 2018’s The Other Side, Gustavsen is joined by a brand new bass participant Steinar Raknes, a fellow Norwegian who makes use of electronics to change the sound of his instrument. Drums, in the meantime, stay the area of long-time ally Jarle Vespestad with out whom Gustavsen’s albums wouldn’t be the identical.

The really feel of Opening is extra sombre than its predecessor. Not that Gustavsen was ever overly full of life and upbeat, however there’s a contact calmer right here. His albums have all the time encapsulated the ECM sound, and the crisp readability, exact reverb and ‘inky black’ backgrounds are as soon as extra to the fore on this recording. It’s a lot part of Gustavsen’s sound that it’s onerous to think about how a unique label would deal with such finely nuanced work.

Album opener ‘The Circle’ is a melodic piece with shining piano over plucked bass and comfortable however strong drums and percussion. It’s very a lot the Gustavsen model of sublimity masked as simplicity, however all you must do is shut your eyes, and the sensation behind these notes transcends language and will get straight by means of. ‘Findings / Visa från Rättvik’ is an early spotlight, its drum and bass intro (the devices not the musical model) construct environment and we get the primary publicity to Raknes’ bowing method that options extremely on this album. Then the piano begins to swirl, and the cymbals splash round it to create an ethereal but strong sound that’s entrancing. The title monitor combines electronics with instrumentation to create the impact of a looming storm. Still, as a substitute, it brightens up because the deep atmosphere ebbs away earlier than the piece reaches its denouement comparatively too early.

‘The Longing’ is even shorter and downtempo with lovely chords flippantly embellished with sticks on cymbals, the piano shimmering gently. The bowed bass on ‘Shepherd Song’ is augmented to create an impact like low backing vocals earlier than the right chords of Gustavsen’s piano are available in and convey one thing similar to a groove, a rarity on this artist’s oeuvre. It virtually makes the monitor sound like an everyday jazz trio, however the nuances of the enjoying put it on the next plain.

The bowed bass is closely bolstered on ‘Helensburgh Tango’ which creates scale over a brooding snare drum that rustles like a rattlesnake over the occasional low kick drum punch. Like ‘Re-Opening’ which follows that is extra of an ensemble piece, but when the piano lastly will get into the highlight the wonder begins to movement; you possibly can’t beat the keyboard for delivering the emotional quotient.

‘Findings II’ evokes a starry night time with glowing notes over quiet backing, the quietness of the piece revealing the depth of the soundstage that ECM likes to supply with refined use of echo and reverb. ‘Stream’ brings us again to extra acquainted territory for Gustavsen, right here he invests what seems to be the lightest of phrases with that means whereas the bass brings chunky bodaciousness to maintain issues transferring in the suitable route. ‘Ritual’ marks a definite change in model, with Raknes seemingly minimize free to ship one thing like an electrical guitar league on the bass, the sound being harking back to Dan Berglund previously of E.S.T. This monitor is borderline aggressive, however fortunately Gustavsen is not any Jon Lord.

The album ends with two people tunes, ‘Fløytelåt / The Flute’ is fantastically delicate with what often is the bass producing a whistling backdrop within the Ennio Morricone model on the intro and Gustavsen channelling the great things in full impact. The Finale ‘Vær sterk, min sjel’ brings us again to the pianist’s consolation zone with an open-hearted, heat and optimistic tune that can allow you to drift in excellent ease.

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