Ola Kvernberg (born 1981) had his official breakthrough with the band Hot Club de Norvège at the Django-festival in Oslo, winter 2000 a spontaneous jamsession which led to several recordings and full-time touring schedule since then. Finished his 4-year study in jazz at the Music Conservatory of Trondheim, Norway in may 2005. Has played with Svend Asmussen, Didier Lockwood, Philip Catherine, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Les Paul, Doug Raney, Ed Thigpen, Toots Thielemanns, James Carter, Pat Metheny and Joshua Redman to mention a few.
Steinar Raknes (born 1975) bass player and composer. Finished his jazz-studies at the Music Conservatory of Trondheim, Norway in 1999, and has done part-time teaching their since then. Plays in several Norwegian bands, such as Urban Connection, The Core and Vindaloo. Has worked with Michael Brecker, Chick Corea, Steve Grossman, Per Texas Johanson, Jonas Kullhammar, Doug Raney, Ed Thigpen, Marilyn Mazur and many more. www.steinarraknes.com (not recently updated..)
Erik Nylander (born 1981) is at the time finishing 4rd grade of his jazz studies at the Music Conservatory of Trondheim, Norway. Has a distinguished direction in his music, inspired by drummers such as Jack DeJohnette and Elvin Jones. Is at the time about to become a very busy drummer, being engaged by numerous bands in all sorts of styles.
Influences
John Coltrane, Allison Krauss, Nicolo Paganini, Ricky Skaggs, Oscar Peterson, Elvin Jones, Paul Chambers, Charles Mingus, Jack DeJohnette, Earl Scruggs, Stephane Grappelli, Stuff Smith, Jean-Luc Ponty, Arvo Part ..and the list goes on..
Sounds Like
more or less like ourselves. yes, definetely like ourselves.
The Ola Kvernberg Trio was established in 2000, at that time it consisted of violinist Ola Kvernberg together with bassplayer Steinar Raknes and american guitarplayer Doug Raney. Since then, the trio has been through a few changes, the latest was adding swedish drummer Erik Nylander autumn 2004.
Ola grew up in a musical family, playing in the fiddle folk music tradition of his mom and granddad. Studying classical and folk music from age 6, he discovered jazz music at age 16 and has since then pursued his interest in improvised music.
The trios reportoire today consists mainly of Olas compositions; a mixture of bebop, folkmusic-fiddling and modal jazz. Focusing on the interplay, the result is quite a unique sound: everything from burnin to intepretating soft songs.
Two years has gone since the critics worshipped Ola Kvernberg Trio's album debut Night Driver. Since then, Ola has contributed to more than 15 albums and toured with more than 30 different constellations (Jimmy Carl Black, Joshua Redman, Erlend Skomsvoll, Thomas Dybdahl and Jo Nesbø, to mention a few.) I addition to this, he composed and recorded the full score for the movie "Nord" (Erlend Loe) - the only norwegian contribution at this years Berlin Film Festival.
Together with Steinar Raknes (double bass) and Erik Nylander (drums), his new record Folk continues to challenge the genres and take another step towards a both clearer and more personal direction. Folk is a double hommage - one for his musical roots, and one for his biggest inspirational source; people. The album consists of eight named musical portraits, and continues in the landscape of melancholy Night Driver established in 2006. On Folk, Ola once again shows his rare talent of building bridges between genres most people would consider being contradictions, and more than any of his earlier releases, Folk manages to capture the nearness, energy and playfullness that has trademarked the bands numerous concerts.
NEW TRACKS from the project " A FESTA VALE TUDO" has recently been put on my profile and will be released in an album soon: feel free to check it out!-E
