DANIEL HERSKEDAL – The Roc
Edition Records EDN1084
Daniel Herskedal: Tuba, Bass Trumpet; Bergmund Waal Skaslien: Viola; Svante Henryson: Cello; Eyolf Dale: Piano; Helge Andreas Norbakken: Percussion
This set picks up the themes that Herskedal developed in 2015’s ‘Slow Eastbound Train’, with the tuba, piano, drums trio. Here the full orchestra of the previous work is replaced by two strings, so it makes more sense to see this as a chamber quintet exploring the interface between Arabic music and jazz. In places, Herskedal overdubs his brass playing, which gives an even bigger sound to the compositions, at times sounding like a full orchestra.
Herskedal fascination with the Middle East is captured by the titles of the pieces and reflects his travels in Syria, Lebanon and Palestine. Titles reflect his travels (track 5, ‘Hijaz Train Station’, track 6, ‘Thurayya Railways’, track 9, ‘The Kroderen Line’), or use Arabic sayings (track 8, ‘there are three things you cannot hide – love, smoke and man riding a camel’, and track 10, ‘All that has happened happened as fate willed’). Each piece conjures a vivid sense of place, while also providing superbly tight ensemble playing.
In Arabic maqam, collections of 3 to 5 notes (typically mixing full and quarter tones) are called jins, and each set has its own name. So, track 4 is based on a progression through several jins (‘Kurd Bayat Nahawand to Kurd’). Each piece carries a strong sense of its Arabic influence, not only through the use of these jins but also through the liquid drumming of Norbakken .
There is breadth and beauty of the sounds created by Herskedal on instruments which do not tend to feature on the list of most obvious solo instruments, and these are complemented by the lustrous playing of the strings, with the swirling viola managing to sound both authentically Arabic while also being totally jazz.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
Edition Records EDN1084
Daniel Herskedal: Tuba, Bass Trumpet; Bergmund Waal Skaslien: Viola; Svante Henryson: Cello; Eyolf Dale: Piano; Helge Andreas Norbakken: Percussion
This set picks up the themes that Herskedal developed in 2015’s ‘Slow Eastbound Train’, with the tuba, piano, drums trio. Here the full orchestra of the previous work is replaced by two strings, so it makes more sense to see this as a chamber quintet exploring the interface between Arabic music and jazz. In places, Herskedal overdubs his brass playing, which gives an even bigger sound to the compositions, at times sounding like a full orchestra.
Herskedal fascination with the Middle East is captured by the titles of the pieces and reflects his travels in Syria, Lebanon and Palestine. Titles reflect his travels (track 5, ‘Hijaz Train Station’, track 6, ‘Thurayya Railways’, track 9, ‘The Kroderen Line’), or use Arabic sayings (track 8, ‘there are three things you cannot hide – love, smoke and man riding a camel’, and track 10, ‘All that has happened happened as fate willed’). Each piece conjures a vivid sense of place, while also providing superbly tight ensemble playing.
In Arabic maqam, collections of 3 to 5 notes (typically mixing full and quarter tones) are called jins, and each set has its own name. So, track 4 is based on a progression through several jins (‘Kurd Bayat Nahawand to Kurd’). Each piece carries a strong sense of its Arabic influence, not only through the use of these jins but also through the liquid drumming of Norbakken .
There is breadth and beauty of the sounds created by Herskedal on instruments which do not tend to feature on the list of most obvious solo instruments, and these are complemented by the lustrous playing of the strings, with the swirling viola managing to sound both authentically Arabic while also being totally jazz.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
