Einarsson..s Latin group varies from a trio to a septet; regular members include Omar Gudjonsson (guitar), Oskar Gudjonsson (saxophone), Samuel J. Samuelsson (trombon), Kjartan Hakonarson (trumpet), Matthias M.D. Hemstock (drums, percussion) and Tomas R. Einarsson (double-bass). Sigtryggur Baldursson, Petur Gretarsson, Einar Valur Scheving, Helgi Svavar Helgason and Eythor Gunnarsson have been playing congas with the band.
The TRÚNÓ group is usually a quintet: Tómas R. Einarsson (bass), Ragnheidur Gröndal (vocal), Ómar Gudjónsson (guitar), David Thor Jónsson (piano, Hammond) and Matthias MD Hemstock (drums, percussion).
Influences
Cachao, Tito Puente, Guillermo Cabrera Infante, Charlie Parker, Halldor Laxness, Charlie Mingus, Gudbergur Bergsson, Wayne Shorter, Dexter Gordon, Omara Portuondo, Nicholas Shakespeare, Ibrahim Ferrer...
Sounds Like
TRÚNÓ
"El maestro, caballero y excentrico del bajo europeo Tómas R. Einarsson nos presenta su mas reciente trabajo discográfico Trúnó (conversaciones sinceras) en el que demuestra una vez más que es uno de los músicos más completos y polifaceticos que existen actualmente.
Soy un fan número uno de Tómas R. Einarsson porque cada vez que escucho su música siento una magia que me aleja del mundo, me desconecta de todo lo que este haciendo sin importar que tan importante sea...
Tómas R. Einarsson es un genio y no tengo ninguna duda de eso.
Regresa el mago islandés..."
DJ El Chino, Cali, Colombia, 11/12 2008
"Flott plata borin upp af góðum söng og lifandi hljóðfæraleik."
Trausti Júlíusson, Fréttablaðið, Reykjavík, 22.12.2008
"Þessar bóleró ballöður Tómasar eru ævintýralega fallegar."
Vernharður Linnet, Morgunblaðið, Reykjavík 26.11.2008
ROMMTOMMTECHNO
"It would be easy to fuck up when you bring in so many quality artists to remix a quality artist, but Rommtommtechno does not buckle from the combined star power of its contributors, but rather delivers everything it should; club music that combines electro and Latin music, a combo that should make you want to dance, a priori. You can expect to dance to these tracks some Saturday night around 5 Am in the near future."
Sveinn Birkir Björnsson, GRAPEVINE Issue 18 2007
ROMM TOMM TOMM
"Contiene guajiras, boleros, la típica descarga jazzística, todos interpretados con mucha fuerza y verdadera maestría." Ricardo Alonso Venereo, EL HABANERO, Cuba, 21.11.2006.
"A beautiful, weird hybrid out of the Cuban diaspora... It..s in the damn cd..player all the time." Editor..s pick / Peter Watrous, DESCARGA.com, USA, 6.2.2007.
"Eine sehr eigenstandige, humorvolle, abwechslungsreiche Produktion, die nicht nur zum Tanzen geeignet ist." DJ Thomas, SALTHO, Germany, 01.03.2007.
PUTUMAYO PRESENTS LATIN JAZZ
“Icelandic bassist/composer Tómas Einarsson, the only artist here not from Cuba, Puerto Rico, or the U.S., ably demonstrates on his “Rumdrum” that the genre..s reach is continually expanding beyond its usual geographic borders.” (Jeff Tamarkin, All Music Guide)
“Icelandic bass player Tómas Einarsson, the only European here, provides Rumdrum (recorded in Havana) and it is sublime.” (Charlie Fidelman, Ottawa Citizen 14/7 2007)
“Outstanding is Tomas Einarsson from Iceland who sounds like he would be right at home in Havana, doing “Rumdrum”, with a great tres solo.” (Alastair Johnston, www.muzikifan.com, 1/7 2007)
..
Icelandic bass player/composer Tomas R. Einarsson (1953) studied in Reykjavik and Copenhagen 1980-84. Since then he has been one of the most active jazz musicians in Iceland, performing both with own groups, and visiting soloists (a.o. the late Chet Baker and Kenny Drew). He has recorded 14 records with his own music and performed at several European jazz festivals, such as The Kongsberg Jazz Festival, Berliner JazzFest and the Glasgow Jazz Festival. In 2006 his Latin group performed at Moscow..s main jazz venue, Le Club, and in the historical Casa de la Amistad in Havana. His first Latin jazz record was Kubanska, recorded in 2002. American critics had praise for the music: “It..s a funny thing, all of this Latin Jazz coming from such remote places. But when it..s played that well, who cares?” (C. Michael Bailey: All About Jazz). In 2003 he recorded the CD Havana in Cuba, and it won two prizes at the Icelandic Music Awards. Samuel J. Samuelsson..s arrangements of Einarsson..s music were performed at The Reykjavik Art Festival in 2004, and a live recording ("Dance, you idiot!) won three prizes at the IMA. Einarsson..s last Latin CD is Romm Tomm Tomm, recorded in 2006 in Reykjavik and in Havana..s EGREM studios, with 14 Icelandic and Cuban musicians. His three Latin Jazz records have already sold 7500 copies in Iceland, which is exceptional for jazz records in a country of only 300,000 inhabitants.
"Three fine CD..s" (Nelson Rodríguez, Latin Beat Magazine, Ocober 2007)
TRÚNÓ - Einarsson..s last CD was released in October 2008. It features two of Iceland..s most popular singers, Ragnheidur Gröndal and Mugison, who sing the tunes Einarsson wrote to poems by Icelandic poets (Ingibjörg Haraldsdóttir, Halldór Laxness, Kristín Svava Tómasdóttir, Steinn Steinarr, Sveinbjörn I. Baldvinsson, Vilborg Dagbjartsdóttir), concentrating on lyrics that tell of love, lonlieness and hangovers! In a review of the Reykjavik Jazz Festival 2008, German journalist/critic Christoph Giese called the TRÚNÓ music "Eine bizarre, aber wunderbar funktionierende Mischung."
All the 15 records with the music of Tómas R. Einarsson, from Thessi ofetis jazz (1985) to TRÚNÓ (2008), can now be bought (downloads) at tonlist.is or icelandicmusic.com, see links:
ROMM TOMM TOMM, HAVANA, KUBANSKA and Rommtommtechno are available on I-tunes, E-music, UOL Megastore (Brazil) and Tune Tribe. Nine titles of Einarsson..s music can be ordered from www.Smekkleysa.net (Iceland), ROMM TOMM TOMM and HAVANA can also be bought from www.Descarga.com (USA) and www.Diskunion.net (Japan), and at Jazzkælderen (www.adlib.dk), Copenhagen, Denmark, several titles of Einarsson..s music are available.
"Rumdrum" (from HAVANA) is included in the compilation PUTUMAYO PRESENTS LATIN JAZZ, which was released in June 2007. Einarsson is the only European in a company of people like Tito Puente, Machito, Ray Barretto and Poncho Sanchez.
"Rumdrum" was one of the 15 songs selected for the PUTUMAYO WORLD MUSIC SAMPLER - 15 years of the best music from around the world - a 15 years anniversary sampler that Putumayo released in 2008.
"Jam" (from RTT) is included in the compilation "Solar Latin Club Vol. 1", produced by the Columbian DJ "El Chino" ("Listen to the percussive funk of "Descarga" - Tómas Einarsson..s relentless club-ready dance track. Play that one loud" - Bruce Polin, www.descarga.com, September 11th 2007).
ROMMTOMMTECHNO, a CD with remixes of Einarsson..s Latin Jazz was released in November 2007, with participants from Iceland, Britain, Germany, France and USA; Moonbootica, Mark Brydon (Moloko), MD Hemstock, Thor, Tom Pooks, Jack Schidt, Electric Screwdriver, Namito, GusGus and Trabant. It can be ordered (download + CD) from www.smekkleysa.net and also from i-tunes and Beatport (downloads).
Linda Loeskow..s brilliant design of ROMMTOMMTECHNO was chosen the BEST cover design of Icelandic records and books in 2007, by the jury of the Icelandic Graphic Designer..s Society (FÍT). Bravo Linda!
Hi Tomas R. Einarsson Don't miss the opportunity to play at the world's biggest festival for upcoming bands! Play at the best and biggest venues in your country. Sign up your band today at www.emergenza-festival.dk Hope to see your band ON stage! All the best Emergenza Festival Nordic
𝌺𝌰𝌩𝌔𝌇 Easy to find the way of my tiny house, Open the door and see what there’s inside, I think the ghosts are sitting on the floor, Open the door no matter who you are.
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TRÚNÓ - Einarsson..s last CD was released in October 2008. It features two of Iceland..s most popular singers, Ragnheidur Gröndal and Mugison, who sing the tunes Einarsson wrote to poems by Icelandic poets (Ingibjörg Haraldsdóttir, Halldór Laxness, Kristín Svava Tómasdóttir, Steinn Steinarr, Sveinbjörn I. Baldvinsson, Vilborg Dagbjartsdóttir), concentrating on lyrics that tell of love, lonlieness and hangovers! In a review of the Reykjavik Jazz Festival 2008, German journalist/critic Christoph Giese called the TRÚNÓ music "Eine bizarre, aber wunderbar funktionierende Mischung."
