Home » Jazz Articles » Steinar Raknes
Jazz Articles about Steinar Raknes
Tord Gustavsen Trio: Seeing
by Konstantin Rega
It is difficult to create a big or stirring sound with a small group of musicians. However, Norwegian pianist Tord Gustavsen and his trio offer an expansive, sophisticated and diverse sound on their album Seeing. With its meditative qualities, the album follows in the footsteps of the trio's previous releases, such as The Other Side (ECM, 2018) and Changing Places (ECM, 2003). However, it also broadens the group's sonic character in subtle but impactful ways. A wonderful blend of original ...
Continue ReadingTord Gustavsen Trio: Seeing
by Mike Jurkovic
A moving stillness undergirds and empowers Seeing, pianist Tord Gustavsen's tenth triumph for ECM. From the scraping arc through the first mood shift of “Jesus, Make Me Still" it is possible to lock in on the blue gospel vibe and shut the door to the cluttered details and emails of the day. And never mind song titles like the above or “The Old Church," “Beneath Your Wisdom" or “Nearer My God, To Thee." For three guys from the ...
Continue ReadingThe Core: Roots
by Mark Corroto
It has been over a decade since a release from the Norwegian jazz band The Core. Founded in 2001, the quartet released half a dozen albums before mostly going their separate ways. Saxophonist Kjetil Møster worked with Gard Nilssen, Mats Gustafsson, and Per Zanussi, pianist Erlend Slettevoll with Hedvig Mollestad and Petter Wettre, bassist Steinar Raknes with Tord Gustavsen, and drummer Espen Aalberg in the Basement Sessions with Jonas Kullhammar and Torbjörn Zetterberg. Roots, the ensemble's ninth recording, ...
Continue ReadingTord Gustavsen Trio: Opening
by Peter Jones
Tord Gustavsen's first three piano trio albums sold in unimaginable quantities, made him an unlikely star in his native Norway, and established him internationally. He became the living embodiment of the ECM sound—quiet, contemplative, solemn, spacious. In fact, so spacious, that at gigs one would sometimes wait a seeming eternity for the arrival of the next tinkling arpeggio, the next scrape of a fingernail across the snare drum, or growling bass slide. Minimalist it most certainly is, but putting this ...
Continue ReadingTord Gustavsen Trio: Opening
by David Bruggink
After 2018's stellar The Other Side, Tord Gustavsen again graces listeners with a trio format. On this outing, ecologically-minded double bassist Sigurd Hole is replaced by ECM newcomer Steinar Raknes. A prolific recording artist with everything from dusky alt-country and americana to post-bop and free jazz to his name, Raknes introduces new flavors to the trio's palette. Gustavsen, along with stalwart percussionist Jarle Vespestad, proves to be an ideal collaborator with Raknes' diverse musical background. Opening begins even less conspicuously than ...
Continue ReadingSteinar Raknes: Stillhouse
by Eyal Hareuveni
Steinar Raknes is a man of many tastes. A founding member of the fiery modern jazz quartet The Core, a collaborator with lyrical jazz violinist Ola Kvernberg, co-leader of the SKÁIDI duo with yoik vocalist Inga Juuso, and leader of his own quartet that covers tango and bossa-nova classics, on Stillhouse, this Norwegian double bassist features his abilities as a vocalist and interpreter of eclectic, iconic American songs from the past few decades, as well as a few originals.
Continue Reading
