INGI BJARNI - Tenging
Losen: LOS222-2
Ingi Bjarni Skulason: piano; Jako Eri Myhre: trumpet; Merje Kagu: guitar; Daniel Andersson: bass; Tore Ljokelsey: drums
Recorded October 2018 by Johannes Lundberg at Studio Epidemin, Gothenberg, Sweden.
To get a sense of the musical style and approach, the translation of the closing track (‘Ekki pjoolag, ekki jazz’) is “not a folk song, not jazz”. This evocative piano solo keeps hinting that it is going to develop into a simple folk-song but the shifts in tonal centre keep moving it away from any obvious resolution. Adrian Pallant’s liner notes suggest parallels between this piece and Bill Evans playing – and I can see how the very intelligent exploration of chords combined with a gentle hesitance in playing make this an apt comparison on this piece. And, elsewhere, Skulason’s playing moves effortlessly between a jazz idiom and something closer in manner to (classical) Concert piano.
Throughout the set, the mix of instruments brings out different moods in his playing. Skulason composed the pieces so that they would complement the playing style of his band-mates. So, on the title track, it is Myhre’s trumpet that features, with the piano shadowing parts of the tune and providing accompaniment for the solos. Or for ‘Angurvaert’ (“bittersweet melancholy”), track 6, a sedate cantabile that perfectly evokes the mood implied by the tune’s title, and ‘Kannski blus’ (“maybe a blues”), track 2, the guitar and trumpet trade lead roles. Icelandic pianist, Skulason has titled this CD in his mother tongue as “connection”. In part it represents the combining of musicians from diverse parts of Scandinavia and its neighbours. In part it represents an extension of the trio work of his earlier recordings.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
Losen: LOS222-2
Ingi Bjarni Skulason: piano; Jako Eri Myhre: trumpet; Merje Kagu: guitar; Daniel Andersson: bass; Tore Ljokelsey: drums
Recorded October 2018 by Johannes Lundberg at Studio Epidemin, Gothenberg, Sweden.
To get a sense of the musical style and approach, the translation of the closing track (‘Ekki pjoolag, ekki jazz’) is “not a folk song, not jazz”. This evocative piano solo keeps hinting that it is going to develop into a simple folk-song but the shifts in tonal centre keep moving it away from any obvious resolution. Adrian Pallant’s liner notes suggest parallels between this piece and Bill Evans playing – and I can see how the very intelligent exploration of chords combined with a gentle hesitance in playing make this an apt comparison on this piece. And, elsewhere, Skulason’s playing moves effortlessly between a jazz idiom and something closer in manner to (classical) Concert piano.
Throughout the set, the mix of instruments brings out different moods in his playing. Skulason composed the pieces so that they would complement the playing style of his band-mates. So, on the title track, it is Myhre’s trumpet that features, with the piano shadowing parts of the tune and providing accompaniment for the solos. Or for ‘Angurvaert’ (“bittersweet melancholy”), track 6, a sedate cantabile that perfectly evokes the mood implied by the tune’s title, and ‘Kannski blus’ (“maybe a blues”), track 2, the guitar and trumpet trade lead roles. Icelandic pianist, Skulason has titled this CD in his mother tongue as “connection”. In part it represents the combining of musicians from diverse parts of Scandinavia and its neighbours. In part it represents an extension of the trio work of his earlier recordings.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
