Jazz Articles about Wako

About Wako

Album Review

Bands will often self-title their debut album, as a kind of calling card to the world at large. But doing so on a fourth album implies a serious coming of age statement: this is really who we are. That is certainly the case here. Its third album, Urolige sinn (Øra Fonogram, 2018), was a blend of composed and improvised music: a collective voice, with a rare concision and focus. This album is entirely self-composed, with the bulk of the tracks ...

Album Review

Wako: Urolige Sinn

Read "Urolige Sinn" reviewed by Mark Sullivan

by Mark Sullivan
December 22, 2018

Wako is a Norwegian jazz collective with a truly collective sound. Saxophonist Martin Myhre Olsen--heard as a leader on MMO Ensemble's Any Day Now (Øra Fonogram, 2018)--and pianist Kjetil Mulelid--leader of the Kjetil Mulelid Trio's Not Nearly Enough To Buy A House (Rune Grammofon, 2017)--each contribute three compositions. But the group identity is equally present on the jointly created tracks that dominate this program, their third album. Opener “Jernvilje" is a brief, atmospheric rubato exercise by the whole ...