SIRIL MALMEDAL HAUGE - Uncharted Territory
Jazzland Norway No. 30: Jazzland 377 910 2
Siril Malmedal Hauge: vocals, mandolin; Martin Myhre Olsen: soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone; Torgeir Hovden Standal: guitars; Kjetil Andre Mulelid: piano, organ; Martin Morland: bass; Henrik Lodoen: drums; Adrian Loseth Waade: violin; Isa Caroline Holmesland: viola; Kaja Fjellberg Pettersen: ‘cello
Recorded by Dag Erik Johansen at Athletic Sound; strings recorded by Goran Obad at Ohlogy Studio
To get an idea of this album, I recommend listening to the second track, ‘Before I Disappear’ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pcMxDh89Kc]. Here, you get a sense of the rock elements of her song writing and, in the chorus, her lilting, folky tone. This is not a bad introduction to her approach to music and certainly give a good sense of how well she uses her voice (as well as the complexity of her lyric writing and how well the words fit the tune). But, it might make you wonder why this is being reviewed on a jazz site.
What this tune misses is the ways in which Olsen creates such stunning accompaniment with a variety of saxophones, and the ways in which her band such a variety of styles. In the end, I guess that a reasonable label would be cosmopolitan folk-jazz (think of Fairport Convention with tunes that had more edge…) that comfortably merges jazz, folk and rock into a well-compiled and individual sound. It is more surprising to recall that her last outing was with Jacob Young (reviewed here: https://www.jazzviews.net/siril-malmedal-hauge--jacob-young---last-things.html), with its mix of originals and covers. On the new set, her voice has expanded to fill the space created by an electric band and has shifted from the intimacy of the previous set to something much bigger – and even more engaging.
On first listen, I really enjoyed this set – and there is much here to repay repeated listens which only serve to increase my liking for this album and I think that it is going to be in the top albums that I have reviewed this year.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
Jazzland Norway No. 30: Jazzland 377 910 2
Siril Malmedal Hauge: vocals, mandolin; Martin Myhre Olsen: soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone; Torgeir Hovden Standal: guitars; Kjetil Andre Mulelid: piano, organ; Martin Morland: bass; Henrik Lodoen: drums; Adrian Loseth Waade: violin; Isa Caroline Holmesland: viola; Kaja Fjellberg Pettersen: ‘cello
Recorded by Dag Erik Johansen at Athletic Sound; strings recorded by Goran Obad at Ohlogy Studio
To get an idea of this album, I recommend listening to the second track, ‘Before I Disappear’ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pcMxDh89Kc]. Here, you get a sense of the rock elements of her song writing and, in the chorus, her lilting, folky tone. This is not a bad introduction to her approach to music and certainly give a good sense of how well she uses her voice (as well as the complexity of her lyric writing and how well the words fit the tune). But, it might make you wonder why this is being reviewed on a jazz site.
What this tune misses is the ways in which Olsen creates such stunning accompaniment with a variety of saxophones, and the ways in which her band such a variety of styles. In the end, I guess that a reasonable label would be cosmopolitan folk-jazz (think of Fairport Convention with tunes that had more edge…) that comfortably merges jazz, folk and rock into a well-compiled and individual sound. It is more surprising to recall that her last outing was with Jacob Young (reviewed here: https://www.jazzviews.net/siril-malmedal-hauge--jacob-young---last-things.html), with its mix of originals and covers. On the new set, her voice has expanded to fill the space created by an electric band and has shifted from the intimacy of the previous set to something much bigger – and even more engaging.
On first listen, I really enjoyed this set – and there is much here to repay repeated listens which only serve to increase my liking for this album and I think that it is going to be in the top albums that I have reviewed this year.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
