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Nils Okland - Sigbjorn Apeland: Lysoen. Hommage à Ole Bull
by AAJ Italy Staff
Lysoen. Hommage à Ole Bull è un lavoro tutto interno alla tradizione norvegese che piacerà senz'altro a coloro che ne sono appassionati. Lysoen è, infatti, il nome di un'isola norvegese, ma anche quello di una stupenda villa residenza del violinista e virtuoso Ole Bull, sua fonte di ispirazione per numerose composizioni e sede nella quale sono state effettuate le registrazioni di questo CD. Paesaggio sonoro, geografico e della memoria, Lysoen ha consentito ai due virtuosi norvegesi contemporanei, il violinista Nils ...
Continue ReadingNils Okland / Sigbjorn Apeland: Lysoen: Hommage a Ole Bull
by John Kelman
The problem with being tagged as traditional is an inherent and immediate perception as being somehow retro or backwards-looking when, in truth, traditions ought to be living, breathing things whose definable frames of reference aren't necessarily confined by them. Norwegian violinist Nils Økland and pianist/harmonium player Sigbjørn Apeland know this better than most; in their 1982 trio, with drummer Øyvind Skarbo, they mine a most contemporary kind of free improvisation that can't help but be informed by the traditional Norwegian ...
Continue ReadingSigbjorn Apeland / Oyvind Skarbo / Nils Okland: 1982
by John Kelman
On a per capita basis, creativity and innovation coming out of Norway is thoroughly disproportionate to a population straining to reach five million. With a particularly strong reputation for its intrepid exploration of modern technology and instrumental orthodoxy, there's also plenty going on without the benefit of laptops, turntables and effects processors. When harmonium player Sigbjørn Apeland, drummer Øyvind Skarbø and violinist Nils Økland--billed as 1982 Trio--performed at the top of Mount Ulriken as part of JazzNorway in a Nutshell ...
Continue ReadingNils Okland: Monograph
by David McLean
With now over a thousand releases, ECM has become as identifiable for its pristine sound production as its sumptuous design aesthetic. Each release since its 1969 inception has been adorned with beautiful photography and abstract art that has become as inherently important as the music contained within. A testament to this, Norwegian Hardanger fiddler Nils Økland's Monograph's cover could just as easily appear to be the pipes of a grand church organ, enhancing the albums liturgical quality, or a winter ...
Continue ReadingNils Okland: Bris
by John Kelman
As cool as the fjords of Norway, the sound of the Hardanger fiddle evokes images of vast vistas, rocky terrains and untarnished skies. The sympathetic strings that run underneath those played with a bow create additional overtones that are further enriched by the traditional style of playing the instrument, which involves a moving pedal tone drone over which melodies are layered. While its roots in the traditional music of Norway--a style that has remained essentially unaltered by cultural change and ...
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