Record Reviews

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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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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