The quartet is a result of work Ivar Grydeland, Ingar Zach and others did in a duo at the end of the 20th century. Grydeland u0026 Zach founded the label SOFA and performed as a duo. They also started many ensembles that worked with European improvised musicians. While the duo had many stages, their music took root while Zach and Grydeland were studying for their Master’s degree in Chamber Music at The Norwegian Academy of Music. These studies were devoted to their compositions and improvisations. Christian Wallumrod’s “Sofienberg Variations”, (ECM 1809) was published around the time that they gave their graduate concerts. Grydeland felt that Wallumrod’s music was similar to theirs. They saw a possibility for musical cooperation and invited Wallumrod into rehearsals and concerts. Grydeland, Zach and Wallumrod recorded together as a result of this work. Grydeland, Zach, and Tonny Kluften were working together in a project-based group called No Spaghetti Edition. Kluften and Zach formed the core of this ensemble, but Grydeland became an equal member over time. With a strong focus on large ensemble improvisation, the ensemble core invited musicians from different genres to join them for CD releases, concerts and tours. Wallumrod was a participant in one of the previous projects. No Spaghetti Edition’s third CD, “Real Time Satellite Data”, was released in 2003. Xavier Charles, a French clarinettist, was a guest on this release as well as the subsequent tour and concerts. Charles’ music impressed Zach and Grydeland. They felt he could improve the work they had begun with Wallumrod and invited him to rehearsals. They had their first meeting in a quartet in July 2004. They didn’t get to meet again until 16 years later, despite the success of their first meeting as a quartet. They met again for another project with No Spaghetti Edition, recording the CD “Sketches of a Fusion (SOFA520), with Tonny Kluften, and Martin Tetreault, a Canadian improviser. While “Sketches Of a Fusion’ is clearly a different project than “Dans les Arbres”, their experience with this CD and performing concerts with it inspired them to keep going as a quartet. Charles, Grydeland and Wallumrod met again in July 2006. This was their second chance to create a band sound, and music for the first album “Dans les arbres”. It also marks the introduction to the quartet with the same name: Dans les arbres. The band has been on tour in Europe, North America, and Japan since then as a quartet. Dans les arbres has also performed with guest musicians like Yumiko Tanaka and Otomo Yoshihide. Jim O’Rourke, as well as the young Norwegian duo Vilde.
