Rune Grammofon was established in January 1998 with the aim to release music by the most creative and adventurous Norwegian artists. Since then, it has documented the amazing flowering and development of young Norwegian talent within the areas of electronica, improvisation, ambient, free music and everything in between to long-overdue international acclaim. Among those impressed is quality label ECM who has handled the European distribution since 2000. Special care is given to the packaging of all releases, most housed in digipacks and sporting the striking design of young multi-media artist, Kim Hiorthøy. "A vibrant vision." --The Wire; "Strikingly fresh cover art, impeccably recorded sound." --BBC Music Magazine; "A label on top of its game." --BBC Online; "An indie in the finest traditions." --Time Out; "On the forefront of Norwegian jazz/electronica..." --Wallpaper; "Norway's finest record label." --The Milk Factory; "Always eclectic and enjoyable." --Dusted; "A consistently interesting label." --Flux
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MPLP 305LP
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Gatefold double LP version. One would think that after the Gullvåg Trilogy -- two double and a single album in a mere three years -- the ultra-productive trio Motorpsycho might be in need of a break of sorts... but on the other hand, riding a golden wave like never before in their 30+ year existence, why stop now? The bulk of the album was recorded in France back before the pandemic, but was added to, tweaked and finished in 2020. The initial idea was to collect big riffs on one album and do a pure hard rock record, but the objective changed along the way as they rediscovered their folkish bent and how this lighter touch gave it all a nice contrast. Mixed by Andrew Scheps. Produced by Bent Sæther. Reine Fiske guests on several tracks.
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MPCD 105CD
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$14.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 5/28/2021
One would think that after the Gullvåg Trilogy -- two double and a single album in a mere three years -- the ultra-productive trio Motorpsycho might be in need of a break of sorts... but on the other hand, riding a golden wave like never before in their 30+ year existence, why stop now? The bulk of the album was recorded in France back before the pandemic, but was added to, tweaked and finished in 2020. The initial idea was to collect big riffs on one album and do a pure hard rock record, but the objective changed along the way as they rediscovered their folkish bent and how this lighter touch gave it all a nice contrast. Mixed by Andrew Scheps. Produced by Bent Sæther. Reine Fiske guests on several tracks.
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2LP
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MPLP 305C-LP
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Gatefold double LP version. Limited clear vinyl. One would think that after the Gullvåg Trilogy -- two double and a single album in a mere three years -- the ultra-productive trio Motorpsycho might be in need of a break of sorts... but on the other hand, riding a golden wave like never before in their 30+ year existence, why stop now? The bulk of the album was recorded in France back before the pandemic, but was added to, tweaked and finished in 2020. The initial idea was to collect big riffs on one album and do a pure hard rock record, but the objective changed along the way as they rediscovered their folkish bent and how this lighter touch gave it all a nice contrast. Mixed by Andrew Scheps. Produced by Bent Sæther. Reine Fiske guests on several tracks.
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RCD 2212CD
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Original score by Krzysztof Penderecki. New reading and conduction by Mats Gustafsson. The first (and until now only?) recorded interpretation of Krzysztof Penderecki's Actions For Free Jazz Orchestra took place in 1971 at Donaueschingen and featured the New Eternal Rhythm Orchestra, assembled by Don Cherry for the occasion and conducted by the great Polish composer. That orchestra also consisted of 14 musicians, including international jazz heavyweights such as Kenny Wheeler, Peter Brötzmann, Thomasz Stanko, Terje Rypdal, Han Bennink, and others. Don Cherry himself did not perform. Penderecki had heard the Globe Unity Orchestra a couple of years earlier and was fascinated by the possibilities of working with musicians from a different background and with other perspectives than he was used to from the classical world. The challenge for all involved was to find the right balance between composition and improvisation. The idea was initially met with some skepticism from the musicians, but this soon gave way to acceptance and even eagerness. The new, extended reading by Mats Gustafsson and Fire! Orchestra was commissioned by the Sacrum Profanum festival in Kraków, Poland in 2018. The idea was to place this classic piece in a contemporary setting, with a new approach and a new body of sound. However, the original score was used as a platform for the new reading, connecting history with the present. A score in this context is most often of a graphic nature to present reference points, visualized on the sleeve by Kim Hiorthøy's cut-up adaption of Mats Gustafsson's score. It's also worth noticing that the instrumentation is more or less identical to that of 1971, the main difference being a tuba replacing one of the trombones. Finally, this new reading clocks in at 40 minutes, and is thus considerably longer than the 1971 version. This line-up of the Fire! Orchestra is unique in that it's the first time without founding members and singers Mariam Wallentin and Sofia Jernberg. It's also the first time with guitarist Reine Fiske.
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RLP 3219LP
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LP version. Only nine months after Hedvig Mollestad momentous debut solo album Ekhidna (RCD 2215CD/RLP 3215LP), the guitarist is back fronting her trio. With their previous album, Smells Funny (RCD 2203CD/RLP 3203LP, 2019), this explosive and expansive trio experienced a breakthrough of sorts, having gone from strength to strength through five albums since their 2011 debut Shoot! (RCD 2115CD/RLP 3115LP, 2011), gathering respect from both rock and jazz camps, sharing big stages with the likes of John McLaughlin and Black Sabbath, and being equally comfortable on jazz and rock stages. Hedvig enforced this breakthrough with Ekhidna, appearing on both jazz and rock best of 2020 lists, like coming in third in Prog's "Album of the Year" poll. With the hypnotic title track, the spacious ballad "Four Candles" and generally a more varied mood, Ding Dong. You're Dead. is the trio's most dynamic album to date. That said there's still enough solid and creative riffing here to satisfy the headbangers, as well as the jazzheads, as they further explore the free and open landscapes most notably started with their Black Stabat Mater album (RCD 2183CD/RLP 3183LP, 2016) and continued with Smells Funny. As Nate Chinen wrote about Black Stabat Mater in JazzTimes: "Her trio, which has Ellen Brekken on bass and Ivar Loe Bjørnstad on drums, caught my ear then with its audacious style references: the loose swagger of early Black Sabbath; the density and prowl of peak Led Zeppelin; the expeditionary urge of Jimi Hendrix; the incantatory fervor of John McLaughlin." This trio radiates confidence and have become a surefire hit on the Norwegian live scene. And while we rightly praise Hedvig's exceptional abilities, let's not forget how important the rhythm section is to make it all work so well. Ellen Brekken is an accomplished bassist, driving the band just as hard on the electric bass as on the acoustic. Then there's Ivar Loe Bjørnstad, not your regular rock drummer, not your regular jazz drummer, but in possession of the loose swagger mentioned above.
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RCD 2219CD
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Only nine months after Hedvig Mollestad momentous debut solo album Ekhidna (RCD 2215CD/RLP 3215LP), the guitarist is back fronting her trio. With their previous album, Smells Funny (RCD 2203CD/RLP 3203LP, 2019), this explosive and expansive trio experienced a breakthrough of sorts, having gone from strength to strength through five albums since their 2011 debut Shoot! (RCD 2115CD/RLP 3115LP, 2011), gathering respect from both rock and jazz camps, sharing big stages with the likes of John McLaughlin and Black Sabbath, and being equally comfortable on jazz and rock stages. Hedvig enforced this breakthrough with Ekhidna, appearing on both jazz and rock best of 2020 lists, like coming in third in Prog's "Album of the Year" poll. With the hypnotic title track, the spacious ballad "Four Candles" and generally a more varied mood, Ding Dong. You're Dead. is the trio's most dynamic album to date. That said there's still enough solid and creative riffing here to satisfy the headbangers, as well as the jazzheads, as they further explore the free and open landscapes most notably started with their Black Stabat Mater album (RCD 2183CD/RLP 3183LP, 2016) and continued with Smells Funny. As Nate Chinen wrote about Black Stabat Mater in JazzTimes: "Her trio, which has Ellen Brekken on bass and Ivar Loe Bjørnstad on drums, caught my ear then with its audacious style references: the loose swagger of early Black Sabbath; the density and prowl of peak Led Zeppelin; the expeditionary urge of Jimi Hendrix; the incantatory fervor of John McLaughlin." This trio radiates confidence and have become a surefire hit on the Norwegian live scene. And while we rightly praise Hedvig's exceptional abilities, let's not forget how important the rhythm section is to make it all work so well. Ellen Brekken is an accomplished bassist, driving the band just as hard on the electric bass as on the acoustic. Then there's Ivar Loe Bjørnstad, not your regular rock drummer, not your regular jazz drummer, but in possession of the loose swagger mentioned above.
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RCD 2220CD
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$14.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 4/23/2021
Still only 29 years old when composing and recording this album, Kjetil Mulelid is one of the brightest talents in Norwegian jazz, and these days that really says something. In Kjetil's childhood home they had a subscription for a Classical Masterpieces CD collection. One that especially caught his attention, and would be played repeatedly, included the most melodic piano music of Beethoven, Chopin and Debussy. At the same time his elder brother introduced him to "old" rock like Led Zeppelin and Queen, winning him over and getting him interested in the guitar rather than the piano. When he later applied to music education in high school with electric guitar as his main instrument, the teachers asked if he played other instruments. He duly played a song on the piano, and heard nothing more of it. Months later, thinking he was enrolled as a guitarist, he was (to his horror) introduced to the class as a pianist. A classically trained piano teacher played him some gospel and boogie woogie and introduced him to some simple pentatonic hooks on a C major blues. He hadn't really touched the piano in a very long time, but the same night he started experimenting and improvising around what she had shown him, and from that moment he was all into the piano and would dig further into improvisation and jazz. Kjetil was skeptical when Rune Grammofon first suggested a solo piano record back in early 2018, but the idea slowly grew on him and when the pandemic exploded and other plans had to be scrapped, he suddenly had the time as well as the means to do it. So, the bulk of the album was written in a hectic lockdown period and recorded on a steaming hot June day in the legendary Athletic Sound studio on their unique and characteristic Bösendorfer grand piano from 1919. Of the piano Kjetil says the sound is one of a kind, very clear and not typically "perfect" like most new ones. Very well recorded and mixed, it gives you the impression that you are sitting next to him and not in a concert hall. In turn joyful, playful and elegant, the album fully shows Kjetil's harmonic and melodic mastery and the influence from those early introductions to the classical masters. Whether staying with the tune or taking off on improvised flights, there is an ease and assurance in his playing that betrays his young age.
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LP
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RLP 3220LP
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$26.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 4/23/2021
LP version. Still only 29 years old when composing and recording this album, Kjetil Mulelid is one of the brightest talents in Norwegian jazz, and these days that really says something. In Kjetil's childhood home they had a subscription for a Classical Masterpieces CD collection. One that especially caught his attention, and would be played repeatedly, included the most melodic piano music of Beethoven, Chopin and Debussy. At the same time his elder brother introduced him to "old" rock like Led Zeppelin and Queen, winning him over and getting him interested in the guitar rather than the piano. When he later applied to music education in high school with electric guitar as his main instrument, the teachers asked if he played other instruments. He duly played a song on the piano, and heard nothing more of it. Months later, thinking he was enrolled as a guitarist, he was (to his horror) introduced to the class as a pianist. A classically trained piano teacher played him some gospel and boogie woogie and introduced him to some simple pentatonic hooks on a C major blues. He hadn't really touched the piano in a very long time, but the same night he started experimenting and improvising around what she had shown him, and from that moment he was all into the piano and would dig further into improvisation and jazz. Kjetil was skeptical when Rune Grammofon first suggested a solo piano record back in early 2018, but the idea slowly grew on him and when the pandemic exploded and other plans had to be scrapped, he suddenly had the time as well as the means to do it. So, the bulk of the album was written in a hectic lockdown period and recorded on a steaming hot June day in the legendary Athletic Sound studio on their unique and characteristic Bösendorfer grand piano from 1919. Of the piano Kjetil says the sound is one of a kind, very clear and not typically "perfect" like most new ones. Very well recorded and mixed, it gives you the impression that you are sitting next to him and not in a concert hall. In turn joyful, playful and elegant, the album fully shows Kjetil's harmonic and melodic mastery and the influence from those early introductions to the classical masters. Whether staying with the tune or taking off on improvised flights, there is an ease and assurance in his playing that betrays his young age.
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LP
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RLP 3218LP
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LP version. After a solid run of five studio albums and 2019's two double live albums, Psychedelic Backfire I and II, Elephant9 had taken their groovy mix of high energy rock and power jazz as far as they could. In this respect, Arrival Of The New Elders comes as a welcome and most timely addition to their recorded output. More varied, mature and reflective, don't let the self-ironic (?) title mislead you, they are as groovy as ever, but more structured and less jam oriented, with the longest track clocking in around the seven-minute mark. Rather short, by their standards. Having built a solid live reputation even before their brilliant 2008 debut Dodovoodoo, the trio boasts what is probably the strongest rhythm section in Norway, complemented with keyboard magician extraordinaire, the one and only Ståle Storløkken. And boy, does he excel himself on this album, notably with more focus on the Rhodes than before. That said, this is nothing if not another strong group effort from what has been a very tight unit straight from the outset. Seven brand new compositions from Storløkken and one from Nikolai Hængsle make way for what Rune Grammofon consider to be their finest and most cohesive album to date. Arrival Of The New Elders was recorded by trusted stalwart Christian Engfelt, with early Dungen producer Mattias Glavå handling the mixing duties. Ståle started his musical journey in Veslefrekk with Jarle Vespestad and Arve Henriksen in the '90s, soon morphing into Supersilent with Helge Sten on board. He's also a member of Møster! and Humcrush, and have collaborated with a number of artists, most notably Motorpsycho. Nikolai is also a member of Bigbang, Needlepoint and Band Of Gold and have appeared on a couple of hundred records. The same goes for Torstein, an associate member of numerous bands ranging from pop and soul to free jazz. But Elephant9 has always been their special baby. Personnel: Ståle Storløkken - Rhodes piano, Hammond organ, grand piano, Eminent 310, Mellotron, Continuum; Nikolai Hængsle - electric bass, electric and acoustic guitars; Torstein Lofthus - drums, percussion.
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RLP 3217LP
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LP version. Fire! tracking new paths and reaching new levels of excellence, still honoring their 12-year-old vow of presenting a fresh approach to improvised music. Their debut album, You Liked Me Five Minutes Ago, was released in 2009 to wide international acclaim. "The basic strategy of pairing the expressive energy of free jazz with a sturdy sense of groove has yielded something potent and self-contained" --New York Times. Between this and Defeat there´s been five albums, including collaborations with Jim O'Rourke (2011) and Oren Ambarchi (2012). No two Fire! records sound the same, but with Defeat they have taken their biggest leap so far, with Mats Gustafsson giving the flute a prominent place in the sound image, a surprising and most successful move, his both expressive and ornamental approach given ample room to breathe, especially on the two long tracks bookending the album. In places more subdued than on previous efforts, but with the distinctive bass figures and hypnotic mood fully intact. There are some lively stretches with guests Goran Kajfes and Mats Aleklint, bringing to mind their big band offshoot Fire! Orchestra, albeit on a smaller scale. For over 20 years Rune Grammofon have made a habit of releasing music that is beyond easy classification, in later years typified by Hedvig Mollestad, Elephant9, and Krokofant, but cemented by Fire! and their exploratory curiosity and deep love of music in general. Many have tried to compare the trio to other groups, but listening to Defeat you realize how futile this is. Given the above there´s no doubt there are many influences at play, but the resulting brew is in a class by itself. Personnel: Mats Gustafsson - flute, baritone sax, live electronics; Johan Berthling - electric bass; Andreas Werliin - drums; Goran Kajfes - quartertone trumpet; Mats Aleklint - trombone, sousaphone, horn arrangements.
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RCD 2218CD
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After a solid run of five studio albums and 2019's two double live albums, Psychedelic Backfire I and II, Elephant9 had taken their groovy mix of high energy rock and power jazz as far as they could. In this respect, Arrival Of The New Elders comes as a welcome and most timely addition to their recorded output. More varied, mature and reflective, don't let the self-ironic (?) title mislead you, they are as groovy as ever, but more structured and less jam oriented, with the longest track clocking in around the seven-minute mark. Rather short, by their standards. Having built a solid live reputation even before their brilliant 2008 debut Dodovoodoo, the trio boasts what is probably the strongest rhythm section in Norway, complemented with keyboard magician extraordinaire, the one and only Ståle Storløkken. And boy, does he excel himself on this album, notably with more focus on the Rhodes than before. That said, this is nothing if not another strong group effort from what has been a very tight unit straight from the outset. Seven brand new compositions from Storløkken and one from Nikolai Hængsle make way for what Rune Grammofon consider to be their finest and most cohesive album to date. Arrival Of The New Elders was recorded by trusted stalwart Christian Engfelt, with early Dungen producer Mattias Glavå handling the mixing duties. Ståle started his musical journey in Veslefrekk with Jarle Vespestad and Arve Henriksen in the '90s, soon morphing into Supersilent with Helge Sten on board. He's also a member of Møster! and Humcrush, and have collaborated with a number of artists, most notably Motorpsycho. Nikolai is also a member of Bigbang, Needlepoint and Band Of Gold and have appeared on a couple of hundred records. The same goes for Torstein, an associate member of numerous bands ranging from pop and soul to free jazz. But Elephant9 has always been their special baby. Personnel: Ståle Storløkken - Rhodes piano, Hammond organ, grand piano, Eminent 310, Mellotron, Continuum; Nikolai Hængsle - electric bass, electric and acoustic guitars; Torstein Lofthus - drums, percussion.
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RCD 2217CD
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Fire! tracking new paths and reaching new levels of excellence, still honoring their 12-year-old vow of presenting a fresh approach to improvised music. Their debut album, You Liked Me Five Minutes Ago, was released in 2009 to wide international acclaim. "The basic strategy of pairing the expressive energy of free jazz with a sturdy sense of groove has yielded something potent and self-contained" --New York Times. Between this and Defeat there´s been five albums, including collaborations with Jim O'Rourke (2011) and Oren Ambarchi (2012). No two Fire! records sound the same, but with Defeat they have taken their biggest leap so far, with Mats Gustafsson giving the flute a prominent place in the sound image, a surprising and most successful move, his both expressive and ornamental approach given ample room to breathe, especially on the two long tracks bookending the album. In places more subdued than on previous efforts, but with the distinctive bass figures and hypnotic mood fully intact. There are some lively stretches with guests Goran Kajfes and Mats Aleklint, bringing to mind their big band offshoot Fire! Orchestra, albeit on a smaller scale. For over 20 years Rune Grammofon have made a habit of releasing music that is beyond easy classification, in later years typified by Hedvig Mollestad, Elephant9, and Krokofant, but cemented by Fire! and their exploratory curiosity and deep love of music in general. Many have tried to compare the trio to other groups, but listening to Defeat you realize how futile this is. Given the above there´s no doubt there are many influences at play, but the resulting brew is in a class by itself. Personnel: Mats Gustafsson - flute, baritone sax, live electronics; Johan Berthling - electric bass; Andreas Werliin - drums; Goran Kajfes - quartertone trumpet; Mats Aleklint - trombone, sousaphone, horn arrangements.
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RLP 3216LP
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LP version. After the highly successful Perfectly Unhappy (RCD 2199CD/RLP 3199LP, 2018) album with Andy Sheppard, the trio is back with a new album featuring seven brand new songs from the pianist. Captivating and lyrical, always melodic and often melancholic and uplifting at the same time, these are all real tunes. End Of Summer was recorded in Oslo in April during lockdown. After getting all their concerts cancelled because of the pandemic, Espen Eriksen says it was very inspiring to still be able to meet in a recording studio to make new music and keep it all alive. This being their first recording in five years as a trio, Espen is also keen to stress that the collaboration with Andy was not a one-off and that the plan is to "continue working together for a very long time." Espen Eriksen Trio was formed in 2007 and released their debut album in 2010, End Of Summer being their fifth. They have toured on four continents, becoming an increasingly popular live act, with a wealth of rich material on their repertoire. The music relies on highly melodic and lyrical instrumentals and a "less is more" approach and is often credited for its unique voice within today's jazz scene by the international press. To quote BBC in their review of the trio's second album; "A wonderfully plaintive jazz record, abandoned to the lost art of melodic minimalism, stripped back and beautifully near bare. No smoke and mirrors, just the graceful chemistry of superb musicians at the top of their game." All three musicians have versatile backgrounds ranging from pop to jazz and have played with musicians like Bugge Wesseltoft, John Scofield, Joshua Redman, Dhafer Yousef, John Taylor, Vince Mendoza, Eivind Aarset, Knut Reisersrud, Mathias Eick, Nils Petter Molvær, Thomas Strønen, Odd Nordstoga, Håkon Kornstad, Jarle Bernhoft, and Bendik Hofseth. "The music has a rich sense of melody coupled with a poignant lyricism that is infectious . . . the symbiosis between the saxophonist and the trio is truly remarkable" --All About Jazz review of Perfectly Unhappy.
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RCD 2216CD
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After the highly successful Perfectly Unhappy (RCD 2199CD/RLP 3199LP, 2018) album with Andy Sheppard, the trio is back with a new album featuring seven brand new songs from the pianist. Captivating and lyrical, always melodic and often melancholic and uplifting at the same time, these are all real tunes. End Of Summer was recorded in Oslo in April during lockdown. After getting all their concerts cancelled because of the pandemic, Espen Eriksen says it was very inspiring to still be able to meet in a recording studio to make new music and keep it all alive. This being their first recording in five years as a trio, Espen is also keen to stress that the collaboration with Andy was not a one-off and that the plan is to "continue working together for a very long time." Espen Eriksen Trio was formed in 2007 and released their debut album in 2010, End Of Summer being their fifth. They have toured on four continents, becoming an increasingly popular live act, with a wealth of rich material on their repertoire. The music relies on highly melodic and lyrical instrumentals and a "less is more" approach and is often credited for its unique voice within today's jazz scene by the international press. To quote BBC in their review of the trio's second album; "A wonderfully plaintive jazz record, abandoned to the lost art of melodic minimalism, stripped back and beautifully near bare. No smoke and mirrors, just the graceful chemistry of superb musicians at the top of their game." All three musicians have versatile backgrounds ranging from pop to jazz and have played with musicians like Bugge Wesseltoft, John Scofield, Joshua Redman, Dhafer Yousef, John Taylor, Vince Mendoza, Eivind Aarset, Knut Reisersrud, Mathias Eick, Nils Petter Molvær, Thomas Strønen, Odd Nordstoga, Håkon Kornstad, Jarle Bernhoft, and Bendik Hofseth. "The music has a rich sense of melody coupled with a poignant lyricism that is infectious . . . the symbiosis between the saxophonist and the trio is truly remarkable" --All About Jazz review of Perfectly Unhappy.
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MPLP 304LP
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Double LP version. If Motorpsycho's The Crucible (MPCD 103CD/MPLP 303LP, 2019) -- both visually and musically -- started where The Tower (2017) ended, one can argue that The All Is One starts where The Crucible ended and thus finishes the so-called "Gullvåg trilogy". That said, The All Is One is so much more than a sequel, and very much a standalone album in its own right. While The Crucible took the band a step further out than The Tower, the new one explores new frontiers, especially with the dark, brooding landscape of the 42-minute epic centerpiece that is "N.O.X.", possibly the most ambitious piece of music they have recorded. Eight shorter tracks, clocking in between two and ten minutes, make up the rest of the album and bring some balance to the proceedings. Lyrically, The All Is One takes up the threads from the previous albums. While there is no thematic red line as such -- and not being overtly political -- it is difficult for a socially conscious writer like Bent Sæther not to observe and reflect on what goes on in an increasingly unstable world. They have also found strong inspiration and common ground in the paintings of Håkon Gullvåg, the artist responsible for the cover art. The album was recorded in two major sessions, the first took place in Studio Black Box in France with long-time collaborator and guitarist Reine Fiske. Here they mainly focused on material with more or less traditional song structures. The second session was at Ocean Sound Recording in Norway and basically dealt with the long "N.O.X." suite, developed from the commissioned music they wrote for, and performed at, the St. Olav Festival in Trondheim last summer with two of their favorite Norwegian musicians, Lars Horntveth (Jaga Jazzist) and Ola Kvernberg (Steamdome). The whole album was mixed by Andrew Scheps at his Punkerpad studio in the UK. Artistically searching as ever, and in their own way joyously stretching the rock format as out of whack as they can, Motorpsycho neither can nor will align themselves fully to any scene or genre. Traveling their own path in their own tempo, it might take longer to get anywhere, but that is just fine when the journey itself is the whole point. And what a journey it has been; this band is still peaking after more than 30 years in the business.
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RCD 2215CD
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In May 2018 Hedvig Mollestad received an invitation from Vossajazz -- the much-loved annual festival established in 1973 -- to write the commission work for 2019. This came at the right time, she had been thinking about writing for a bigger group than the trio, and this would be a good opportunity. To make it suitable for album release the full festival version was edited, sharpened and recorded from scratch in Amper Tone studio in Oslo. And this stunning album is the result. In addition to Hedvig on guitar, the line-up includes powerhouse drummer Torstein Lofthus (Elephant9) and percussionist Ole Mofjell, the youngest member, but with solid experience from the European improvisation scene. Keyboard duties are handled by Marte Eberson, probably most known from her five years with Highasakite, and Erlend Slettevoll (The Core and supergroup Grand General). Hedvig first met trumpeter Susana Santos Silva in Mats Gustafsson's NU-ensemble. This three-women, three-men lineup defies the general notion of progressive jazz as being a typically male activity. Maybe this is why it's so multifaceted, rich on textures and melodically strong? Being the riffmeister Hedvig truly is, she has of course found room for some really strong ones, as well as some subtle and powerful soloing.
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RLP 3215LP
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LP version. White vinyl. In May 2018 Hedvig Mollestad received an invitation from Vossajazz -- the much-loved annual festival established in 1973 -- to write the commission work for 2019. This came at the right time, she had been thinking about writing for a bigger group than the trio, and this would be a good opportunity. To make it suitable for album release the full festival version was edited, sharpened and recorded from scratch in Amper Tone studio in Oslo. And this stunning album is the result. In addition to Hedvig on guitar, the line-up includes powerhouse drummer Torstein Lofthus (Elephant9) and percussionist Ole Mofjell, the youngest member, but with solid experience from the European improvisation scene. Keyboard duties are handled by Marte Eberson, probably most known from her five years with Highasakite, and Erlend Slettevoll (The Core and supergroup Grand General). Hedvig first met trumpeter Susana Santos Silva in Mats Gustafsson's NU-ensemble. This three-women, three-men lineup defies the general notion of progressive jazz as being a typically male activity. Maybe this is why it's so multifaceted, rich on textures and melodically strong? Being the riffmeister Hedvig truly is, she has of course found room for some really strong ones, as well as some subtle and powerful soloing.
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CD
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RCD 2213CD
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Rune Grammofon introduce a new name to their roster. Master Oogway are four young musicians aged between 23 and 26. They met at the Norwegian Academy of Music in 2015 with a common desire to play vibrant, improvised music with strong themes and room for spontaneity at a high energy level. Like many players on the young, Norwegian progressive jazz scene their instrumental skills are already highly developed but never used to show off. Earth And Other Worlds is the quartet's second album, their debut was released on the Clean Feed label in 2018. Their new effort is more dynamic and varied and shows more mature and accomplished songwriting, not to mention the stronger group interactions and the impressive solo stretches from sax player Lauritz Lyster Skeidsvoll and guitarist/composer Håvard Nordberg Funderud. While it's fair to say that they operate in much of the same musical landscape as Bushman's Revenge or Kokofant, it's equally fair to note that their general approach and attitude comes with a slightly stronger emphasis on jazz. Håvard Nordberg Funderud finished his bachelor at the Norwegian Academy of Music in 2018 and has also studied in Gothenburg and Copenhagen. He is involved in several projects, but Master Oogway is his priority. Lauritz Lyster Skeidsvoll and Karl Erik Horndalsveen have both finished their education at the same academy as Funderud. Martin Heggli Mellem is currently finishing his bachelor at the jazz program at NTNU in Trondheim. Personnel: Håvard Nordberg Funderud - guitar; Lauritz Lyster Skeidsvoll - saxophone; Karl Erik Horndalsveen - double bass; Martin Heggli Mellem - drums.
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LP
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RLP 3214LP
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LP version. Rune Grammofon introduce I Like To Sleep to their roster. Taking their name from a Thelonious Monk quote, I Like To Sleep are three young Norwegian musicians, all 22 years old. Nicolas Leirtrø and Øyvind Leite first met in high school in Trondheim before they joined up with Amund in a youth big band. It soon became apparent that they shared the same musical background centered around '70s progressive rock, classical music, jazz, and improvisation. Soon after the trio was formed, first for fun, but soon with higher ambitions, they won the prestigious "Young Jazz Musicians of the Year" award in 2018. Daymare is the trio's second album, their debut was released on the small All Good Clean Records label in 2017. While their debut showed a lot of quality and promise, their new effort is a huge step forward on all accounts, especially considering their young age. The lazy way would be to place I Like To Sleep with certain other Rune Grammofon "power jazz" groups, but their unique instrumentation, natural openness and youthful curiosity place them apart from the rest. All three members are currently in the middle of their jazz studies at NTNU in Trondheim. They are active as composers, freelancers and in other projects, including concert booking on the city's vibrant music scene. In case you recognize the name, Amund Storløkken Åse is the son of Ståle Storløkken who as a member of Supersilent appeared on Rune Grammofon's very first release back in early 1998, and later on several more records with Supersilent, Humcrush, Elephant9, and a couple of times with Motorpsycho. The circle is closed. Personnel: Amund Storløkken Åse - vibraphone; Nicolas Leirtrø - baritone guitar; Øyvind Leite - drums.
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RLP 3213LP
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LP version. Rune Grammofon introduce a new name to their roster. Master Oogway are four young musicians aged between 23 and 26. They met at the Norwegian Academy of Music in 2015 with a common desire to play vibrant, improvised music with strong themes and room for spontaneity at a high energy level. Like many players on the young, Norwegian progressive jazz scene their instrumental skills are already highly developed but never used to show off. Earth And Other Worlds is the quartet's second album, their debut was released on the Clean Feed label in 2018. Their new effort is more dynamic and varied and shows more mature and accomplished songwriting, not to mention the stronger group interactions and the impressive solo stretches from sax player Lauritz Lyster Skeidsvoll and guitarist/composer Håvard Nordberg Funderud. While it's fair to say that they operate in much of the same musical landscape as Bushman's Revenge or Kokofant, it's equally fair to note that their general approach and attitude comes with a slightly stronger emphasis on jazz. Håvard Nordberg Funderud finished his bachelor at the Norwegian Academy of Music in 2018 and has also studied in Gothenburg and Copenhagen. He is involved in several projects, but Master Oogway is his priority. Lauritz Lyster Skeidsvoll and Karl Erik Horndalsveen have both finished their education at the same academy as Funderud. Martin Heggli Mellem is currently finishing his bachelor at the jazz program at NTNU in Trondheim. Personnel: Håvard Nordberg Funderud - guitar; Lauritz Lyster Skeidsvoll - saxophone; Karl Erik Horndalsveen - double bass; Martin Heggli Mellem - drums.
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RCD 2214CD
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Rune Grammofon introduce I Like To Sleep to their roster. Taking their name from a Thelonious Monk quote, I Like To Sleep are three young Norwegian musicians, all 22 years old. Nicolas Leirtrø and Øyvind Leite first met in high school in Trondheim before they joined up with Amund in a youth big band. It soon became apparent that they shared the same musical background centered around '70s progressive rock, classical music, jazz, and improvisation. Soon after the trio was formed, first for fun, but soon with higher ambitions, they won the prestigious "Young Jazz Musicians of the Year" award in 2018. Daymare is the trio's second album, their debut was released on the small All Good Clean Records label in 2017. While their debut showed a lot of quality and promise, their new effort is a huge step forward on all accounts, especially considering their young age. The lazy way would be to place I Like To Sleep with certain other Rune Grammofon "power jazz" groups, but their unique instrumentation, natural openness and youthful curiosity place them apart from the rest. All three members are currently in the middle of their jazz studies at NTNU in Trondheim. They are active as composers, freelancers and in other projects, including concert booking on the city's vibrant music scene. In case you recognize the name, Amund Storløkken Åse is the son of Ståle Storløkken who as a member of Supersilent appeared on Rune Grammofon's very first release back in early 1998, and later on several more records with Supersilent, Humcrush, Elephant9, and a couple of times with Motorpsycho. The circle is closed. Personnel: Amund Storløkken Åse - vibraphone; Nicolas Leirtrø - baritone guitar; Øyvind Leite - drums.
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RLP 3212LP
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LP version. Original score by Krzysztof Penderecki. New reading and conduction by Mats Gustafsson. The first (and until now only?) recorded interpretation of Krzysztof Penderecki's Actions For Free Jazz Orchestra took place in 1971 at Donaueschingen and featured the New Eternal Rhythm Orchestra, assembled by Don Cherry for the occasion and conducted by the great Polish composer. That orchestra also consisted of 14 musicians, including international jazz heavyweights such as Kenny Wheeler, Peter Brötzmann, Thomasz Stanko, Terje Rypdal, Han Bennink, and others. Don Cherry himself did not perform. Penderecki had heard the Globe Unity Orchestra a couple of years earlier and was fascinated by the possibilities of working with musicians from a different background and with other perspectives than he was used to from the classical world. The challenge for all involved was to find the right balance between composition and improvisation. The idea was initially met with some skepticism from the musicians, but this soon gave way to acceptance and even eagerness. The new, extended reading by Mats Gustafsson and Fire! Orchestra was commissioned by the Sacrum Profanum festival in Kraków, Poland in 2018. The idea was to place this classic piece in a contemporary setting, with a new approach and a new body of sound. However, the original score was used as a platform for the new reading, connecting history with the present. A score in this context is most often of a graphic nature to present reference points, visualized on the sleeve by Kim Hiorthøy's cut-up adaption of Mats Gustafsson's score. It's also worth noticing that the instrumentation is more or less identical to that of 1971, the main difference being a tuba replacing one of the trombones. Finally, this new reading clocks in at 40 minutes, and is thus considerably longer than the 1971 version. This line-up of the Fire! Orchestra is unique in that it's the first time without founding members and singers Mariam Wallentin and Sofia Jernberg. It's also the first time with guitarist Reine Fiske.
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RCD 2211CD
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Henry Kaiser is an American guitarist, composer, label founder, photographer, and professional diver. He appears on more than 250 albums, including collaborations with the likes of Fred Frith, Richard Thompson, David Lindley, Wadada Leo Smith, Derek Bailey, Jim O'Rourke, and numerous others. In 2017 he initiated and produced the two Sky Music albums (RCD 2194CD/RLP 3194LP, RLP 2195LP), both tributes to Norwegian guitar legend Terje Rypdal. Ivar Grydeland is a Norwegian guitarist and composer, most known from the trio Huntsville (Rune Grammofon, Hubro) and Dans Les Arbres (ECM, Hubro, Sofa). He has recorded and performed with a number of musicians including Nils Petter Molvær, David Sylvian, Tony Oxley, Nels Cline, Thurston Moore, and Paul Lovens. He has released two solo albums on Hubro. The two guitarists first met in an Oslo studio in January 2019. Having admired each other's work for some time, they decided right there and then to record a guitar duet collaboration specifically to create a soundtrack for a classic Norwegian silent film. They spent 30 minutes setting up to record and Kaiser suggested a short test recording to one of the less likely candidates, Roald Amundsen's 1925 documentary Ellsworths flyveekspedition 1925. One hour and fifty-six minutes later, they set down their guitars and shook their heads in wonder. They had played for the entire length of the film without breaks, in the process creating a complete score for the film. The Norwegian explorer was a key figure of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. In 1911, he led the first expedition to the South Pole, and is proven to have been the first to reach the North Pole in 1926. Across the Arctic, traditions of shamanism endure among the Inuit. A vision of the Arctic outside of mundane history, yet common in human polar experience, exists in "time out of time" or "everywhen", during which the land is inhabited by figures of heroic proportions. Amundsen and his colleagues were just such figures. Grydeland and Kaiser seemed to have entered into a kind of Arctic Dreamtime as they conjured this film soundtrack into existence; playing in real time with the film. Their guitar improvisations explore historic events, and invoke those heroic figures of the far north, illuminating both Norwegian history, and shamanic time outside of history, through music.
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LP+CD
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RLP 3209LP
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LP version. Includes CD. As David Fricke points out in his liner notes, this is not just another novelty guest-project, the Krokofant on Q is like a brand-new band. In fact, all the involved are so happy with this album that there's more to come with a bunch of new material already written. After three albums in three years as a trio, and sensing the possible danger of being stuck in a formula, they all felt a need to try something new, taking the band one step further. Especially Tom Hasslan, guitarist and main composer, felt an urge to expand the canvas and sonic possibilities. Ståle Storløkken (Elephant9, Supersilent, Terje Rypdal) was the trio's first choice for a keyboardist. He had seen Krokofant live in 2015 and, in his own words "had an instant kick", so he said yes straight away. Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (Scorch Trio, The Thing, Atomic) had seen them the same year, and practically invited himself to join up at some time. Hasslan's tunes are perfect vehicles for Storløkken to present the full scope of his playing; from sheer pastoral beauty to full on jazz skronk. The same can be said about Jørgen Mathisen, who is given ample room for soloing. By introducing Håker Flaten and his bass, work was lifted from Hasslan's shoulders while a "proper" rhythm section was born, Skalstad and Flaten instantly bonding. Personnel: Tom Hasslan - guitars; Axel Skalstad - drums; Jørgen Mathisen - saxophones; Ståle Storløkken - Hammond organ and keyboards; Ingebrigt Håker Flaten - bass.
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RCD 2209CD
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As David Fricke points out in his liner notes, this is not just another novelty guest-project, the Krokofant on Q is like a brand-new band. In fact, all the involved are so happy with this album that there's more to come with a bunch of new material already written. After three albums in three years as a trio, and sensing the possible danger of being stuck in a formula, they all felt a need to try something new, taking the band one step further. Especially Tom Hasslan, guitarist and main composer, felt an urge to expand the canvas and sonic possibilities. Ståle Storløkken (Elephant9, Supersilent, Terje Rypdal) was the trio's first choice for a keyboardist. He had seen Krokofant live in 2015 and, in his own words "had an instant kick", so he said yes straight away. Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (Scorch Trio, The Thing, Atomic) had seen them the same year, and practically invited himself to join up at some time. Hasslan's tunes are perfect vehicles for Storløkken to present the full scope of his playing; from sheer pastoral beauty to full on jazz skronk. The same can be said about Jørgen Mathisen, who is given ample room for soloing. By introducing Håker Flaten and his bass, work was lifted from Hasslan's shoulders while a "proper" rhythm section was born, Skalstad and Flaten instantly bonding. Personnel: Tom Hasslan - guitars; Axel Skalstad - drums; Jørgen Mathisen - saxophones; Ståle Storløkken - Hammond organ and keyboards; Ingebrigt Håker Flaten - bass.
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