A-Z

The Independent published an A-Z of progressive rock. Please discuss!

Some days off?

I'm travelling a bit for a week or two. Expect few postings (or none at all), but come back! OK?

Nils Petter Molvær and Biosphere

Moldejazz will never give us any peace! Third year in a row now they have a free outdoor concert at seven o'clock on Saturday morning, the last day of the festival!

More than 1500 crazy people were in the park today, to see the Break of day in Molde concert, with Nils Petter Molvær and Geir "Biosphere" Jensen.
The electronics, the ambient and the beautiful trumpet playing mixed nicely with the bird sounds, the aeroplanes and some snoring too.
Amazing!

Puma

Moldejazz was hit by Puma last night!
Oh they started off quiet in the dark, turned a bit spooky and BANG! they pour out everything they got, and boy did they rock!

The guilty ones were Øystein Moen (synthesizers and electronics), Stian Westerhus (guitar and electronics) and Gard Nilssen (drums).
Unfortunately I did not read Stian Westerhus' Twitter messages before I went for the show, and missed his recommendation to wear sun glasses!
Puma got themselves strobe lights, and I felt snow blinded this morning too.
But OK, I admit it was stylish, and sometimes made me think of horror movies. Westerhus on the floor with his pedals and electronics, as Moen and Nilsen are ready to use their torture instruments, when Westerhus says go. You just know it! The music is indeed quiet for a short while, the lights are scary and here they go again, pushing you into the back of your chairs.

Puma is a fantastic band, if you can take some noise and he future may be bright for the band, but remember to wear shades.

Moldejazz Wednesday 21 July

What a day at Moldejazz wednesday! I started early with Peter Brötzmann and Paal Nilssen-Love at Molde's smallest venue. The house was packed and the free jazz gentlemen were really wild! Wild gentlemen, now is that possible? I think so!

The next afternoon concert was at Forum, with the new trio Håvard Wiik, Ken Vandermark and Chad Taylor. After working together in Berlin for a couple of days, they delivered a great set, with both Wiik, Vandermark and Taylor compositions.

Later in the evening Paal Nilssen-Love and Peter Brötzmann were at it again, as members of Hairy Bones. Two games in one day, tell any football player to do that!
Massimo Pupillo is rock steady bass man and Toshinori Kondo adds colour with electric, ethereal trumpet.
Huge amounts of energy here, and (I'm not kidding) Brötzmann even did a split jump!

Around midnight Nils Petter Molvær was on stage with Stian Westerhus (guitar) and Erland Dahlen (drums). Super music, nice light show and a great club audience (except you who chatted all the time, that is). But damn it, I felt so old, tired and sweaty after 60 minutes that I headed back home. My fault. all of it.

It has been raining every day here, and poor Sonny Rollins and Herbie Hancock (among others) have to do outdoor concerts! I stay indoors, thank you very much.

Label in Residence

I don't know if this is happening at other festivals out there, but I think it is quite cool that Molde International Jazzfestival is hosting Rune Grammofon as Label in Residence this year (Artist in Residence is Nils Petter Molvær).
Several of Rune Grammofon's artists are playing at the festival (Puma, Biosphere, Motorpsycho, In the Country, Stian Westerhus, Espen Eriksen Trio, Bushman's Revenge) and Kim Hiorthøy's covers for the label are exhibited at the Kunstsentret Møre og Romsdal (Arts Center).

Mari Kvien Brunvoll

Look out for the young Norwegian artist Mari Kvien Brunvoll! Unfortunately I had not bought enough tickets for this concert at Moldejazz (gentleman as I am, wife and daughter went), but at least it's no lie when I tell you the shoes in this short video are not mine.