Sunday 18 February 2018, 7.30pm
Frode Gjerstad / alto saxophone, clarinet
Jon Rune Strøm / bass
Paal Nilssen-Love / drums
Gjerstad and Nilssen-Love´s collaboration goes back to 1992 when Frode formed Circulasione Totale Orchestra in their hometown, together with a rock band plus Paal as a second drummer. Since then, they have worked together in various settings as duo, trios and quartets. CD/LP releases include a handful of 25 titles with various collaborations. Since the formation of this particular trio, there are a total of 7 CDs released, both live concerts and studio recordings. Latest release is “Steam in the Casa”, a live recording from Montreal, November 2015, released on PNL records.
The trio’s music is free improvised and has its roots in the free-jazz tradition. With a high level of energy but with strong dynamics and rapid contrasts, the trio has developed a sound of it´s own and has it´s strength from many years of experience as a working group. The trio is here joined by New York trombonist Steve Swell.
Frode Gjerstad has for many years declared his enthusiasm towards small line-ups, and especially trio. The trio line up gives space for the musicians, but is at the same time very depending on the musician's physics and musicality. Recently he has worked in the duo format with amongst others Peter Brötzmann. With over 20 recordings as a leader he has established himself as a major saxophonist on the international scene.
His trios have included Johnny Dyani, Kent Carter and John Stevens, William Parker and Rashied Bakr, and William Parker and Hamid Drake, whom he toured the US with in 2000. This was his first Norwegian trio.
Nilssen-Love has, during the last couple of years, established himself on the international scene as a powerful drummer with high energy and creativity. In 2002 he was "Artist in Residence" at Molde International Jazz Festival, a title Chick Corea and Pat Metheny held in previous years. After 7 days and 9 concerts at the festival, Down Beat stated, "His week at Molde proved a revelation: Nilssen-Love is one of the most innovative, dynamic and versatile drummers in jazz."
Born in Newark, NJ, Steve Swell has been an active member of the NYC music community since 1975. He has toured and recorded with many artists from mainstreamers such as Lionel Hampton and Buddy Rich to so called outsiders as Anthony Braxton, Bill Dixon, Cecil Taylor and William Parker. He has over 50 CDs as a leader or co-leader and is a featured artists on more than 125 other releases. He runs workshops around the world and is a teaching artist in the NYC public school system focusing on special needs children.
Swell has worked on music transcriptions of the Bosavi tribe of New Guinea for MacArthur fellow, Steve Feld in 2000. His CD, "Suite For Players, Listeners and Other Dreamers" (CIMP) ranked number 2 in the 2004 Cadence Readers Poll. He has also received grants from USArtists International in 2006, MCAF (LMCC) awards in 2008 and 2013 and has been commissioned three times for the Interpretations Series at Merkin Hall in 2006 and at Roulette in 2012 and 2017...[more]
