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Cortex

Thomas Johansson (trp), 
Kristoffer Berre Alberts (sax), 
Ola Høyer (bs), 
Gard Nilssen (dr)

Cortex is a spirited combo that plays energetic jazz of the finest brand. With over hundred live-performances and two studio albums, the quartet positions itself as one of the strongest additions to the Norwegian jazz scene. The members are amongst the most sought after young jazz performers in Norway today. They all have marked their position in several other constellations such as: Bushman’s Revenge, Puma, Team Hegdal, SAKA, Zanussi 5, Friends & Neighbors, AKODE, Honest John, and The Heat Death. After extensive touring in Norway, Sweden, Germany, Czech Republic, Belgium, France, Italy, Slovenia, Portugal USA and Japan, Cortex released their second album october 2012, Göteborg, on Gigafon Records.

Cortex just released their third album “Live!” on Clean Feed Records.

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9
Album Review

Cortex: Legal Tender

Read "Legal Tender" reviewed by Mark Corroto


The Norwegian quartet Cortex answers the question, what would have happened if the Wynton Marsalis and Branford Marsalis, had advanced the jazz canon instead of looking backwards for inspiration. Remember when the two young lions burst onto the scene in the 1980s with their self-righteous mission to save jazz? They did so by stuffing it, much like a taxidermist, to preserve an endangered species. Their neocon approach actually can make us grateful for bands like Cortex with their inclinations to ...

4
Radio & Podcasts

A Musical Portrait Of Cortex

Read "A Musical Portrait Of Cortex" reviewed by Centro d'Arte Padova


For this new installment of our “50/50" series, we asked the members of Cortex (Thomas Johansson, Kristoffer Berre Alberts, Ola Høyer, Gard Nilssen), one of the most interesting groups in the burgeoning Norwegian jazz scene, to choose five tracks that inspired them in their music making. We then completed the selection with five other tracks taken from the band's already rich discography. Playlist Cortex “Opening" from Live! (Clean Feed) 00:00 Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath “Mra" from ...

Album Review

Cortex: Avant-Garde Party Music

Read "Avant-Garde Party Music" reviewed by Vic Albani


Fossero tutte così le party-band! Cortex e Clean Feed colpiscono ancora e questo nuovo e ironico Avant-Garde Party Music la dice lunga sulle prospettive dello straordinario quartetto norvegese che dà alle stampe un nuovo capitolo della loro fortunata discografia. Se qualcuno cercasse una naturale evoluzione di un moderno hard-bop che attraversando gli insegnamenti di Ornette Coleman giunge ad un iper-realista punk-jazz mediato dalle filosofie del “free," lo può certamente trovare nelle spire di questa incisione e, più in ...

3
Album Review

Cortex: Avant-Garde Party Music

Read "Avant-Garde Party Music" reviewed by John Sharpe


Why change a winning formula? If Norwegian crew Cortex has considered that question, then the response was likely an unconcerned shrug. Studio session Avant-Garde Party Music continues firmly in the winning vein established by Clean Feed predecessors Live! (2014) and Live In New York (2016), mashing 1960s New Thing tropes with contemporary inside/outside soloing. Trumpeter Thomas Johansson pens all eight pieces in the 38-minute program, for the by now familiar cast list, completed by reedman Kristoffer Berre Alberts. bassist Ola ...

11
Year in Review

Mark Corroto's Best Releases of 2017

Read "Mark Corroto's Best Releases of 2017" reviewed by Mark Corroto


And what a year it was. With all hurricanes, raging fires, and end-of-the-world politics, we were fortunate to have the magical salve that is music. Complied here are my favorite releases of this past year. I tried to pare down a long list of 50 to 10, but it was impossible. The music you see below has continued in heavy rotation in my house, my car, and on my phone. Matthew Shipp Trio Piano Song

11
Album Review

Cortex: Avant-Garde Party Music

Read "Avant-Garde Party Music" reviewed by Mark Corroto


Do you have Blue Zone envy? You know the places where people live the longest and happiest lives on the planet. They seem to get more physical activity then we do, eat better, love their communities and politicians. Politicians? I know. They even make some of the best modern jazz. Case in point the Norwegian quartet Cortex. It includes trumpeter Thomas Johansson (Friends & Neighbors, Paal Nilssen-Love Large Unit), saxophonist Kristoffer Berre Alberts (Saka, Snik, Starlite Motel), bassist Ola Høyer ...

10
Album Review

Cortex: Live In New York

Read "Live In New York" reviewed by John Sharpe


Live In New York constitutes the fourth outing by young Norwegian outfit Cortex. It's one of a stream of top notch dates emerging on the Portuguese Clean Feed label by a welter of interconnected bands from the burgeoning Scandinavian scene. All four members share a common background in jazz studies from Trondheim, but are now active in a variety of guises. Trumpeter Thomas Johansson appears on All Included's Satan in Plain Clothes (2015)and Friends & Neighbors' What's Wrong? (2016), while ...

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111

Opinion

The Cortex and the Booty-by Steve Provizer

The Cortex and the Booty-by Steve Provizer

Source: Brilliant Corners, a Boston Jazz Blog

This is Your Brain on Music The brass band I play with has been talking about the Asphalt Orchestra. In their videos, they seem to be having a great time, engaging the crowd, playing interesting, offbeat music (apart from New Orleans stuff, arrangements of Zappa, Bjork...). On the other hand, a band-mate saw them on the plaza at Lincoln Ctr. over the weekend and described them as “appealing more to the intellect than wanting to make you dance." Meanwhile, back ...

119

Opinion

The Cortex and the Booty

The Cortex and the Booty

Source: Brilliant Corners, a Boston Jazz Blog

This is Your Brain on MusicThe brass band I play with has been talking about the Asphalt Orchestra. In their they seem to be having a great time, engaging the crowd, playing interesting, offbeat music (apart from New Orleans stuff, arrangements of Zappa, Bjork...). On the other hand, a band-mate saw them on the plaza at Lincoln Ctr. over the weekend and described them as “appealing more to the intellect than wanting to make you dance."Meanwhile, ...

254

Recording

Alain Mion & Cortex

Alain Mion & Cortex

Source: All About Jazz

Alain Mion & Cortex whose band is internationnally considered as the french jazz funk band (classified near The Cruisaders or the Headhunters).

Their album Troupeau Bleu (Underdog Records), is a cult and is researched by many collectors. After their sold-out gig at the New Morning (Paris), in March 2009, their rebirth is offcialized by their next gig, at Espace Culturel Dispan de Floran (Ha-les-Roses), will be filmed for the TV Channel MEZZO.

Espace Culturel Dispan de Floran 11, ...

“Abundant energy, in the footprints of Don Cherry, Ornette Coleman and others. Saxophone, trumpet, drums and bass is a format that requires full presence, and it´s this ability to keep up steam that makes Cortex a live band in a class of its own.” -Roald Helgheim, Dagsavisen

“Göteborg’ establishes Cortex as one of the greatest bands currently working in Norway.” -Eval Hareuveni, All About Jazz

“You want genre labels, call it avant garde party music.” -Daniel Spicer, Jazzwise

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Avant-Garde Party...

Clean Feed Records
2017

buy

Live in New York

Clean Feed Records
2016

buy

Live!

Clean Feed Records
2015

buy

Live

Clean Feed Records
2014

buy

Live!

Clean Feed Records
2014

buy

Göteborg

Gigafon
2012

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Videos

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