Record Reviews

MMO ENSEMBLE ~ ANY DAY NOW ORA FONOGRAM 134 (Barcode: 7090015631347) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is the second album by the Norwegian saxophonist / composer Martin Myhre OlsenFind albums by this artist and his MMO EnsembleFind albums by this artist, which is a platform he uses to realize his ambitious large scale projects. On this album the ensemble is expanded to a 12tet and includes besides Olsen also saxophonist Andre RolighetenFind albums by this artist, trombonist Oyvind BraekkeFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Erik Kimestad PedersenFind albums by this artist, vocalist Siril Malmedal HaugeFind albums by this artist, guitarist Karl BjoraFind albums by this artist, pianist Ayumi TanakaFind albums by this artist, violinists Hakon AaseFind albums by this artist and Adrian Loseth WaadeFind albums by this artist, cellist Kaja Fjellberg PettersenFind albums by this artist, bassist Christian Meaas SvendsenFind albums by this artist and drummer Simon Olderskog AlbertsenFind albums by this artist. The album presents a live recording of an eleven-part suite composed by Olsen, which is a Jazz & Poetry endeavor. The album´s title and the titles of the individual tracks derive from a poem by James BaldwinFind albums by this artist and poetry by Emily DickinsonFind albums by this artist and E. E. CummingsFind albums by this artist is used within the suite. The music is mostly composed, based on strongly melodic motifs, but allows space for improvised passages. The large scale ensemble is capable of producing a rich orchestral sound but also fragments of intimate small scale moments and even individual solo statements. The fact that this highly complex music was recorded live as truly astounding. Both the ensemble performances and the individual statements by all the musicians involved are extraordinary. The ensemble spirit, which in a large ensemble like this one is often quite problematic, works here like a charm and the resulting music flows coherently and flawlessly from one piece to the next. But of course it is the musical concept and the compositional ability of Olsen that stands in the center of attention. Olsen talks about bringing the "Duke EllingtonFind albums by this artist Spirit" of Jazz composition into the 21st Century, and indeed his compositions are certainly inspired and influenced by Ellington´s works, but the transition into contemporary idioms is entirely his own creation. One might wish to fantasize how the Ellington Orchestra would sound today and listening to this album is of course one way to accomplish this fantasy. This album certainly continues the Ellington tradition of an orchestra based on virtuosi instrumentalists playing complex and intricate arrangements and featuring vocals. But of course one must not take these direct comparisons too far. Overall this is a stunning piece of music, which offers a vast amount of ideas and emotions, which are simply impossible to comprehend by listening to the album just once. With each listening session a true music lover will discover new layers and experience new thrills. It certainly looks like Olson is cementing his position on the large orchestral Jazz scene and if this is his early period, the sky is the limit. This album is a wonderful example of what European Jazz is able to accomplish using its own language. Although this music is not really representative of the Nordic Jazz idiom, the musical atmosphere of freedom, acceptance and open-mindedness among the young local musicians in Norway is pushing the music in the country to explore uncharted territory and make constant progress. This is definitely an exquisite album, which deserves to be heard and studied by all true music connoisseurs around the world. Absolutely and wholeheartedly recommended, and hats off to these young Jazz lions!

Updated: 23/10/2020Posted: 11/10/2018

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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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RONNINGS JAZZMASKIN ~ JAZZMASKIN! LOSEN 154 (Barcode: 7090025831546) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by the Norwegian / Swedish quartet Ronnings JazzmaskinFind albums by this artist, led by Norwegian drummer Truls RonningFind albums by this artist, which also includes Norwegian saxophonist Martin Myhre OlsenFind albums by this artist, Swedish saxophonist Petter KraftFind albums by this artist and Swedish bassist Egil KalmanFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, five by Kraft, three by Olsen and one by Kalman. The music is an interesting Jazz cross-sub-genre hybrid, obviously rooted in the Bebop and Hard Bop traditions, but with a lot of space and freedom which allows for the music to explore modern improvisational patterns. The melodic base is still there, but it gets less emphasis in the overall group approach. The balance between the double saxophone front line and the rhythm section is very unique here, with the saxophonist playing with each other on one plane, and then with the rhythm section on another plane, with allows for quite a complex multi-conversational result, which is extremely effective. The unisono saxophone heads stating the melodic themes soon develop into individual solos and finally into a group improvisation, all within one tune, which is pure musical joy. Thanks to the different sound produced by the saxophonists (Olson playing alto and soprano and Petter playing tenor) the overall sound achieved by the quartet is much "bigger" and powerful, as well as diverse and interesting, than one might expect. The rhythm section is very strong and precise, which keeps the group result crispy and swinging like a metronome. Kalman is the bottom which glues the sound together and Ronning very energetically pushes the music forward. Together the quartet sounds like a well oiled mean music machine, which is unstoppable. It is great to hear another bunch of young (well, some younger than others) Jazz musicians keeping the Jazz tradition alive and up to date, not copying old patterns but inventing their own. Perhaps the Norwegian / Swedish blend is a good formula for Scandinavian Jazz ensembles, as it results in an ass-kicking quartet that does not try to play the so called Scandinavian Sound again. This music sounds much more like what other young European Jazz outfits are playing today all over the continent: invigorating music, free of inferiority complexes towards the Godfathers of this idiom from across the pond. This is another great album on the LosenFind albums on this label Records label, which keeps surprising the listeners time after time. Well done everybody!

Updated: 12/06/2018Posted: 11/03/2016

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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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