Atomic at Kongsberg

Never expect anything less than a great show from Atomic! Here they are at The Kongsberg Jazz Festival the other day.

Here Comes Everybody

Just a short message to tell the few of you that do not already know, that Atomic is here once more with a great album. "Here Comes Everybody" (Jazzland 2011) contains 7 tunes of hard bop, free jazz and something close to contemporary classical, and hey, I´m just stealing the descriptions from others, it´s jazz OK? I bet this one will manage to end up on some of the best of 2011 albums lists, even if it´s a bit late, so just start shopping.

Musicians (as usual): Fredrik Ljungkvist (sax, clar), Paal Nilssen-Love (dr), Håvard Wiik (p), Magnus Broo (tp) and Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (b), all of them in great shape. Ljungkvist composed three of the tracks, Wiik four of them.

Coverdesign: Lasse Marhaug. Well, some of the music might just fit as a spooky movie soundtrack?

Video festival

I could not make up my mind, to make best-of- lists or not today, and made a little video festival instead. I have got the impression that YouTube videos stops restarts and stops again more often than before,  but hopefully you can enjoy these great musicians.

These are quite fresh videos on YouTube, and from the top you may watch:
- Sidsel Endresen, Michiyo Yagi and Håkon Kornstad.
- The Thing with Joe McPhee (lots of new The Thing videos out there!).
- Trio Sonore (Vandermark, Gustafsson, Brötzmann).
- Free Fall (Vandermark, Wiik, Håker Flaten).
- Peter Brötzmann, Takashi Sugawa and Inage Candy.

Atomic and Brötzmann - Nilssen-Love - Pupillo

 
Here you get Atomic at The Vortex in London 16 September (2010), from the tour they did with Vandermark 5 (still going on). Fredrik Ljungkvist, Håvard Wiik, Magnus Broo, Ingebrigt Håker Flaten and  Paal Nilssen-Love. Say no more!

 
And since it is Saturday, let´s have another one too! Peter Brötzmann, Paal Nilssen-Love and Massimo Pupillo at the Eddie Lang Jazz Festival in Italy in August (2010).

Nattjazz 28 May

Stian Westerhus is having a constant "bad hair day", but his concerts are perfect! In March I heard him doing short concerts in a private apartment during the Borealis festival, but at the Nattjazz festival (happening right now) had more time at hand, and didn´t have to try not to break somebody´s fine glasses or furniture.
He was alone on stage for about one hour, with two guitars and lots of electronics, delivering beautiful melodies and electric storms. For some moments i thought I heard some Frippertronics in there and even Hardanger fiddles, when he used the bow. As I said, close to perfect!

Westerhus is on two new albums too (both on CD and vinyl with free mp3 downlods). I have just had time to listen through them a couple of times, but i don´t think you should try to save any money by avoiding these! The albums are the solo effort "Pitch Black Star Spangled" and Puma´s "Half Nelson Courtship", both on Rune Grammofon, with Kim Hiorthøy covers.

My other Nattjazz concert this evening was with Motif. Atle Nymo (sax), Axel Dørner (tp), Ole Morten Vågan (b), Håkon Mjåset Johansen (dr) and Håvard Wiik (p) mixed some free jazz (or thereabouts) with hard swinging jazz, all delivered with some hot solos and even smiles (and I like smiling jazz musicians!). Thanks a lot!

Atomic and The Thing

Just a couple of new videos from Norway and Sweden's finest for you. Atomic was recorded in Osaka and The Thing at SKIF 2010 in St Petersburg. There are more videos from The Thing's concert out there, but the sound quality is not too good. You'll find them yourselves, OK?.