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New CD out now!
Our new cd "TRIO" has been released on calibrated records An album just with three of us – Maj-Britt on piano, Benita on drums and Jens on bas the trio reaps the benifits of 15 years roadwork together exploring our roots and blend it with origenal compositions. Rhythmic but still very nordic.

“…If the rest of this week’s concerts at The London Pizza Express is going to be this good, they should be selling season tickets...”
John Fordham, The Guardian

Maj-Britt Kramer, piano & sampling
Marie Bergman, vocals & percussion
fredrik Lundin, tenor saxophone
Jens Skou Olsen, double bass
Benita Haastrup, drums

The fruitful musical encounter of Maj-Britt Kramer, Marie Bergman, Fredrik Lundin, Jens Skou Olsen and Benita Haastrup is the story of a coming together of different musical religions. The core of the quintet consists of the Maj-Britt Kramer Trio formed in 1991 with an extensive international touring schedule in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany and England.

Since 2000 the band has worked towards finding a platform on which to meet – on a personal as well as musical level. The group has had the priviledge of featuring the british tenor saxophone player Andy Sheppard until 2006 (featured on the presented CD tracks above) and since 2007 the danish tenor saxophone player Fredrik Lundin. The group processes & tours with these gifted musicians have created so many special experiences resulting in a unique group sound – a Nordic sound into which an international element is woven – in a live, group improvisational context based on the beauty of sound, timbre, rhythm, lyrics and form.

All photos on this profile © Esben Suell 2007

Maj-britt Kramer, piano & sampling
Maj-Britt is one of the most inventive and original pianists in Europe today. Her innovative approaches to improvising and composing is internationally recognized covering small group projects as well as symphony orchestral work. Especially the coproductions with lyricists as Lars Muhl, Pia Raug and Marie Bergman stand out as timeless pieces with the ability to capture and move the audiences again and again.

Marie Bergman, vocals & percussion
Marie Bergman is as a singer, composer, lyricist and storyteller one of the most personal and transcending voices of Scandinavia today. She is recognized as the great mother of the swedish singer/songwriter tradition. She tells us intense and deeply moving musical stories with great insight and compassion. Musically her offset in the swedish singer/songwriter tradition gives her jazz renditions an embracing warmth and a profound sense of meaning. With an almost lioness-like approach to improvising she unfolds in-flight compositions of new and uncharted artistic landscapes that makes every concert a truly unique experience.

Fredrik Lundin, tenor saxophone
Fredrik Lundin has in many ways throughout his career set the standards as a searching artist without compromise. Again and again he has showed the way with an unmistakable signature sound and compositional work of tremenduous impact. With a base in the american inspired acoustic jazz Fredrik has sought inspiration in as diverse musical worlds as classical composional music, jazz with a nordic sound, tango-inspired renditions of argentinean folk music and lately a groovy mix of jazz and southern state blues. Most important is it though, that wherever Fredrik turns his musical attention the response from audiences all over the world has been nothing bur sheer joy and applause.

Jens Skou Olsen, double bass
Jens Skou Olsen is one of the leading bassplayers in the european scene - the vital anchor role of the bass in the band is one of Jens' favorite challenges. His first objective is ensuring the musical dialogue and artistic flow between the rhythm section and the soloists while keeping the music on its projected course. For Jens timbre, tone, phrasing and articulation are the lifegiving salt that enriches the melodies and harmonies of the band - a must-have if the music is to fulfill its mission in touching people.

Benita Haastrup, drums & percussion
Benita Haastrup is a world-class percussionist - in the flow and surprises of her ideas, she sometimes seems like the Paul Motian of Danish drumming. In recent years she has toured worldwide extensively giving her a surefire experience in and ability to project the emotions and lifegiving energies of music and rhythm. The mere prescence of Benita on a stage makes music happen and her tasty and at the same time expressive approach has made her an absolute favourite artist wherever in the world she appears.