Eivind Aarset: The Sonic Sound

Eivind Aarset (guitar; b. 1961)
(Photo: nomo/michael hoefner)

With a combination of Brian Eno's ambient creations and Miles Davis' fusion era explorations, guitarist, Eivind Aarset has created a futurist realm for the jazz guitarist. Hailing from Norway, Eivind Aarset had performed with numerous Norwegian musicians--really coming to prominence through his work with Nils Petter Molvaer, Sidsel Endrensen and Bugge Wesseltoft to name a few. His recordings are a modern fusion of jazz and electronics. Melodic in nature but with enough emotionally craftiness that his instrumental voice standouts amongst the layers of electronics.

 

Eivind Aarset's albums are awash of electronics all the while emitting subtle harmonics and ethereal grooves that sometimes can be reminiscent of fellow guitar experimentalists, Michael Brook and David Torn. Aarset has four albums to date. Each one building on the rugged guitar movements and sparse electronic density with enchanting effects.

My favourite album would be his third album, Connected (Jazzland Records). Connected fulfills the promise of his debut, Electronique Noire and its successor, Light Extracts with swathes of acoustic, electronic and forward thinking results. Connected features excellent vocal contributions from Dhafer Youssef and wonderful interplay with saxophonist, Hans Ulrik as well as the rest the band.

 
This is a session that not only builds a soundscape conjuring up other worldly images but as illustrates Aarset's ability to create pathway and vision for jazz guitarists to follow. Songs like "Silk Worm", " Electromagnetic In E," and "Transmission" standout as signpost of musician who is thinking on a completely different level than his contemporaries.

Eivind Aarset's most recent release Live Extracts is an altogether different experience. It's brings the creativity of the studio into raw, emotional and improvised live setting.

Live Extracts follows Aarset's touring band Sonic Codex Orchestra in support of his fourth album Sonic Codex. This octet is really amazing and the sound world they create invokes the aforementioned guitarists but also Aarset's work shift between electronic adventure and jazz improvisation. Covering mainly pieces from Sonic Codex and Connected, Live Extracts is well focused live album with some bright moments like "Electromagnetic"--a piece that expands around Aarset's distorted and monstrous chords and pounding rhythms from Audun Erlien (bass), Wetle Holte and Erland Daahlen (both on drums).

"Drobak Saray" a beautiful track from Sonic Codex that here is even more raw, with waves expression from Aarset and heavy mood displacement from Erlien. The track then builds into a cavalcade of grand rock movement.

"Murky Seven" is the shortest track on the album but delivers a nice experimental vibe with Aarset's mild picking and some lovely percussion work from Dahlen. This folds directly into an assault on sound that is "Sign Of Seven" with features a magnificent performance from Hakon Kornstad (sax). This is also probably the closest moment Aarset comes to Live Evil/Dark Magus period of Miles Davis as the piece builds layer upon layer of sound to complete all-stop.

Live Extracts closes appropriately with "Bla Meis", a slow moving ballad with what feel to me like gentle Americana undertones. "Bla Meis" quietly slides and fades away leaving the listener with a pleasant emotional live experience.

Aarset's playing is always bold but never overpowering or used to make some over-produced statement. I think Connected and Live Extracts are the prefect companions and introductory pieces for anyone looking at getting into Eivind Aarset--one of the best jazz guitarist coming out of Norway at the moment.

Sidsel Endresen: That Nordic Voice

Sidsel Endresen (voice)

Photo: C.F. Wesenberg

Sidsel Endresen has been a fixture on the European scene for over 20 years. She has released only a few albums under her own name (eight at last count). She is definitely an artist that might define her music as world (World the genre). While aesthetically the music may be grounded in European jazz--use of sparse arrangements and electronic atmospherics and abstruse lyrics, Sisdel Endresen has created a body of work which is truly original, impressive and influential.

In recent years she has been working with the well-known pianist Bugge Wesseltoft who has surrounded her lyrics mystic with modest yet highly emotional instrumentation. Endresen's albums are more an exploration of voice as instrument than the instruments supporting her. While don't expect everyone to get her I believe she is someone more people need to know about and hear for yourselves. She has also worked with fellow Norwegian, Nils Petter Molvaer and the pairing of her hypnotic voice and Molvaer's muted/electronically tempered trumpet is truly astounding. Those of you familiar with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Sheila Chandra, Diamanda Gallas and combining that with the jazz experiments of Joni Mitchell might also find Sidsel Endresen quite rewarding.

For me the most accessible album might be Out Here. In There. (Jazzland). Out Here. In There. features a nice blend of both Sidsel's folkish/jazz tinged vocal treatments and Bugge Wesseltoft's excellent electronic work as shown of tracks like "Heartbeat", "Survival Techniques" and "Hav". A moody little record that is both engaging and sophisticated.

Sidsel Endresen is an artist reaching beyond rhythmic structure and forcing the listener to view things outside of their comfort zone. This minimalistic approach has made her one of the most soft-after performers and teachers in Europe and a cult figure here in states. I won't try to explain it anymore than that. Take a listen and let me know what you think.