MICHAEL NORDSO - Diving in Space for 3 Decades
Stunt Records STUCD 15132
Michael Nordso: guitars. synths, beats, gunni; Peter Danstrup: bass; Ole Theill: drums; Jacob Andersen: percussion; Ben Besiakov: Fender Rhodes; Eilie Lazo: percussion; Caroline Franseka: vocals; Jens Haack: sax, trumpet; David Sanborn: sax; Palle Mikkelborg: trumpet; Al Agami: rap.
Michael Nordso has been playing his mix of South American infused jazz-funk for three decades now. Tracks 3, ‘Juliana’, 6, ‘Awoken dream’, 7 ‘Sea song’ and 8 ‘Mambo lady’, capture him in full flight in this mode, with exuberant backing from the band. His high treble tone is well suited to the musical styles, with effects used sparingly but effectively, and the solos always tuneful and rhythmically precise. At times there are clear parallels with another guitarist who have famously made his name playing trebly guitar over Brazilian rhythms for somewhat longer than Nordso, but this misses the individual tone that Nordso brings. He has played with the same band for most of this time and there is a relaxed camaraderie between him and bass, drums, percussion and fender Rhodes playing on these tracks. The title might imply some kind of retrospective or collection of pieces from his career. However, the set is all originals and there is a forward-looking feel to the pieces. This feel ranges from the rapping on track 2, ‘I like it when u do’ (which also features David Sanborn soloing with his distinctive sound but, sadly, not adding too much to the piece), to a rock intro that wouldn’t be out of place from a grunge band on track 4, ‘Leaving so soon’ and the opening track, ‘Back in Bamako’, that is drenched in African high-life feeling.
For me, the most interesting pieces in this collection are the ones which feature Palle Mikkelborg. These are tracks 5, ‘Thanks’, and 9 ‘Thanks part two’. As ever, Mikkelborg drenches his sparse trumpet lines in effects that give his sound an ethereal quality and this brings poignancy to Nordso playing. Behind these two, the band lays down a groove with synth and Rhodes burbling and chirping across the piece in to produce a very spacey sound and gives an Arabic feel to the developing solos and interactions between Mikkelborg, Nordso and Haack.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
Stunt Records STUCD 15132
Michael Nordso: guitars. synths, beats, gunni; Peter Danstrup: bass; Ole Theill: drums; Jacob Andersen: percussion; Ben Besiakov: Fender Rhodes; Eilie Lazo: percussion; Caroline Franseka: vocals; Jens Haack: sax, trumpet; David Sanborn: sax; Palle Mikkelborg: trumpet; Al Agami: rap.
Michael Nordso has been playing his mix of South American infused jazz-funk for three decades now. Tracks 3, ‘Juliana’, 6, ‘Awoken dream’, 7 ‘Sea song’ and 8 ‘Mambo lady’, capture him in full flight in this mode, with exuberant backing from the band. His high treble tone is well suited to the musical styles, with effects used sparingly but effectively, and the solos always tuneful and rhythmically precise. At times there are clear parallels with another guitarist who have famously made his name playing trebly guitar over Brazilian rhythms for somewhat longer than Nordso, but this misses the individual tone that Nordso brings. He has played with the same band for most of this time and there is a relaxed camaraderie between him and bass, drums, percussion and fender Rhodes playing on these tracks. The title might imply some kind of retrospective or collection of pieces from his career. However, the set is all originals and there is a forward-looking feel to the pieces. This feel ranges from the rapping on track 2, ‘I like it when u do’ (which also features David Sanborn soloing with his distinctive sound but, sadly, not adding too much to the piece), to a rock intro that wouldn’t be out of place from a grunge band on track 4, ‘Leaving so soon’ and the opening track, ‘Back in Bamako’, that is drenched in African high-life feeling.
For me, the most interesting pieces in this collection are the ones which feature Palle Mikkelborg. These are tracks 5, ‘Thanks’, and 9 ‘Thanks part two’. As ever, Mikkelborg drenches his sparse trumpet lines in effects that give his sound an ethereal quality and this brings poignancy to Nordso playing. Behind these two, the band lays down a groove with synth and Rhodes burbling and chirping across the piece in to produce a very spacey sound and gives an Arabic feel to the developing solos and interactions between Mikkelborg, Nordso and Haack.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
