"New Direction" band, Jørn Skogheim trio: Djamila Skoglund Voss: vocal. Roger Williamsen: 6 string electric bass. Jørn Skogheim: electric guitar, clarinet, whistling, "loop pedal".
CD "New Direction": Djamila Skoglund-Voss - vocal/textwriter.
Bernt André Moen - acoustic piano/keyboards. Klaus Blomvik - drums.
Roger Williamsen - 6 strings elec. bass.
Jørn Skogheim - composer/arranger/elec. guitar/ elec. guitar with roland vg8 and gr1/clarinet/whistling.
Norways answer to Pat Metheny was the introduction on «Jazzbasillen» (Norwegian Jazzradio , NRK in Oslo) In january 2007. After they had listened to Skogheim..s latest release «Above Water»
they found it quite unique that a composer, guitarist, clarinet player and whistler, could have the same grand expression as
Metheny..s.
During the interwiew, samples where played from both composers to show simularities in their expressions, allthough their musical way of playing and compose is quite different. Skogheim, born in 1970 has of course had the possibility to listen to Pat Metheny a lot, and the opposite is not so obvious, allthough the Norwegian personally handed over his CD..s «Above Water» and «Joy» to the American when he held concerts with his band in Oslo 2002 and 2005. Espen Eriksen in «Jazzbasillen» also pointet out similarities between another great instrumentalist; John Mclaughlin.
So how has this Viking managed to develope his own style with similarities to such great musicians? First of all because part of his music is influenced directly from the 1970..s fusion and instrumental music. «The Oslo Newspaper Dagsavisen is writing» 15.01.07 : «This is a bit pompus, is my first impression during the band..s introduction of the opening piece «Sleepless Nights», before Skogheim enters with his guitar and gets things in order, not unlike composer Pat Metheny when he plays with the round tone." «Saxplayer Trygve Seim settles it down in the next opus, and we are just in the beginning of a jazz album that is a rarity in contemporary Norwegian music.» «New constellations enter, Skogheim can also play the clarinet and whistle, and several superb soloists appear on this monumental work,»
So Skogheim..s special music influence has of course made him a rarity perhaps not only in Norway, but also in the international jazzscene?
Like both Pat Metheny..s and John Mclaughlin..s style, it has also taken years of hard work to develope the music and his personally expression, even if it also means that Skogheim has had to hold a low profile for a while.
As music has evolved trough the years, also in the jazzsene, the multiinstrumentalist has obvious not made an easy choice. Allthough it sounds like he is very satisfied in creating his compositions, it sometimes appears as an impossible task. Trough his struggling it seems like some of his music elements are created fighting in the prosess.
Allthough the Guitarist has composed all the music on this CD he is also playing three different instruments. It must be said that there are many other aspects to be mentioned for calling this production a Monumental work. First of all because of all the fantastic musicians
appearing on this production. Trygve Seim is allready mentioned. Another great sax player that makes his appearance on the CD is Bendik Hofseth. Others that should be mentioned is the violaplayer Håvard Daae Rognli, violinists Per Kristian Skalstad and Katrine Buvarp, drummer Kenneth Ekornes and of course rest of the jazzquartet that is Bernt Moen, Klaus Blomvik and Lars Tinderholt.
All together 15 exellent musicians are playing on this CD. The heart of the music is made up of the
jazz quartet, playing together with a string quartet, put together with 3 violins and a viola, classical musicians blend in with a mix of chord-based accopaniment and written out soloparts. The Flute adds additional flavour and creates atmosphere. The rhytmics is quite interesting and complicated, with measures often in 5/4, 7/4, 11/4, 15/4. In one track the music is changing from bar to bar between measures in 5/4 and 4/4. The measures are broken up, playing with each other in combinations that are curious for the ear.
The musicians had a challenging time making the music flow seamlessly, but listening to the end result, it must be said that they have done a very delicat jobb.
The music is containing a lot of variation and dynamics. Dagbladet is writing 17.01.07: «CD: The Guitarist Jørn Skogheim is not a unknown figure in Norwegian Jazz, but with his «Above Water» he truly displays a suprisingly ambitious and powerful new way of thinking. Skogheim himself plays different acoustic, electric, eletronic guitars effortlessly, he also play the clarinet and he whistles, and it also has to be mentioned that he has composed and arranged all the music.» «The many-faceted rhytmics lend a sense of jazz to the often string-dominated sound, and extremely few have surpassed Skogheim..s efforts to integreate elements from different music génres such as jazz, fusion, latin and classical chamber music to make an appealing and unified whole, on a CD that is the first big surprise of the year.»
An another capitol newspaper is writing: Dagens Næringsliv Magasinet 20.01.07: « If you crave a nice, mixed candy-bag of jazz, we recomend a few hecto grams of guitar magic from Jørn Skogheim.» «Jørn Skogheim has put together a tremendous and entertaining album, where he displays a repertoire that goes beyond six strings.» «Skogheim offers more classical chamber music, with an extremely talented string quartet, he whistles a bit here and there, and after a while contributes with the guitarsynthesizer. The whole is such an exellent asortments of tasty treats, that it should be sold at the local candy shop.»
Another aspect that perhaps also have influenced him, is the beatiful surroundings in Norway.
The first 12 years living in Sørreisa, Troms in the nothern part of Norway. Growing up with steep mountains going straight into the fjords, a quite dramatic nature with a radically changing weather.
He lived in Kristiansand in the most southern area from 1982-1998. Here is the most beatiful costlines in Norway and a very stabil and warm climate. He also stayed for a short while in New York in 1998, before settling down in Oslo. And the artist has always loved the capitol dearly for many reasons. Aftenposten is writing 22.01.07: «Jørn Skogheim..s «Above Water» should reach outside the borders of Norway. Over six years has passed since Jørn Skogheim..s debut album, and the multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger have used these years well. Inspired by the atmospere of the inner part of the Oslofjord, he has created an album that should elicit international attention.»
To live in such a city, that has emerged so many outstanding musicians, has also made an impact. Trygve Seim and Bendik Hofseth together with Jacob Young, Frode Berg, The fantastic Helge Lien trio and many others have inspiered Skogheim. Many of these musicians are colleagues and close friends.
Jørn Skogheim will issue his next Cd «New Direction» with a release within autumn 2010. A brand new Quintet it is and Skogheim is claiming that this production is his best ever, mainly because of exellent performance by Klaus Blomvik, Roger Williamsen, Bernt Moen and a just unbelievable good singer, who is an important part of the ensemble. There are many marvelous singers around in this world, but Djamila Skoglund-Voss ability to sing highly difficult melodies combined with the range of her voice is something quite special. She also have a very natural and beutiful voice and has also written all lyrics to Skogheim..s compositions. So with this singer something new is added, and the music can be listened to by a wide crowd of people. It is difficult to put the music in any génre because of the influence from many different styles. Skogheim himself is also playing as much clarinet as guitar on this record, and with such difficult music to master, this is also a rarity, using not one but two so extremely different main instruments and also make the use of whistling as an instrument.
thank you very much for the friendship! Its my pleasure to be in contact with great musician as you. Really beatiful and original music i found on your page!!
Jørn Skogheim - ABOVE WATER ( Curling Legs 2007)
AFTENPOSTEN (no)
