Tord Gustavsen – Bremme + Hohensee Konzertagentur english

Tord Gustavsen Trio – Photo: Caterina di Perri

New Album
Tord Gustavsen Trio
Seeing
ECM 2820

With Seeing, Tord Gustavsen opens a new, complex chapter in his series of acclaimed trio recordings, which he began in 2003 with the now classic album Changing Places. The new recording with its compact, concentrated song forms “reflects my personal development, I am getting older and concentrating more and more on the essentials in life and in music”, says the Norwegian pianist.

With five original compositions, two chorales by Johann Sebastian Bach, a traditional Norwegian hymn and the 19th century English hymn “Nearer My God, to Thee”, Tord dives deep into his unmistakable blend of jazz, blues, gospel, Scandinavian folk and church music together with his long-time companion Jarle Vespestad on drums and Steinar Raknes on double bass.

“Appreciating the melodies”, as Tord puts it, the group’s interplay draws strength from restraint and patiently builds the music towards its climaxes, while Gustavsen, a true master of the trio format, shapes the whole with his fine touch and his very special subtle gospel glow.

Line-up

Tord Gustavsen (p, electronics)
Steinar Raknes (b, electronics)
Jarle Vespestad (dr)

Tord Gustavsen featuring Simin Tander

Norwegian pianist Tord Gustavsen and his longtime companion Jarle Vespestad on drums meet German-Afghan artist Simin Tander. The Cologne-based singer turned down a pop record deal because it meant too much commerce and too little soul, studied jazz singing instead, and is now rightly considered a rising star in the European jazz and world music sky.

The desire to collaborate arose at their first meeting in 2014, and thanks to mutually shared enthusiasm and appreciation, this formation quickly evolved into a new trio project alongside Gustavsen’s quartet. Here, for the first time, the sensitive pianist leaves his comfort zone and expands it with subtle samples and live synths to partly deeply electronic soundscapes, nevertheless with the acoustic piano in the center. Add to this the warm lively voice of the gifted jazz vocalist, which gives this playing a new physical quality.

In collaboration with the Afghan poet B. Hamsaaya, the two translated and interpreted the texts of some traditional Norwegian hymns and folk songs in Pashto, the language of the Afghans, the language of Simin Tander’s father. Through the joint process of translation and interpretation, the intensive examination of their own identity and origins, of different cultures and religions, a very special canon of lyrics and music with high spirituality was created, without ever hiding the underlying roots.

In close musical dialogue with the old Norwegian hymns, the trio also offers new compositions from Gustavsen’s pen, Sufi poetry translated into English, as well as purely instrumental pieces. The new material bears witness to Gustavsen’s and Tander’s shared passion for a fundamental interplay between tradition and origin and the freedom that evolves from it – in music and cultural identity.

Line Up

Tord Gustavsen (p)
Jarle Vespesat (dr)
Simin Tander (voc)