An electroacoustic version of jazz that has one leg in melancholy, and the other in exhilaration. Jazz trios named after the pianist give certain experiences, whether it is Horace Silver with his tender “Que Pasa”, or Esbjorn Skensson with his Northern sounds. Clarity and intimacy are common to both, along with a touch of tonal melancholy. These qualities are also featured on “Before Dawn”, The Oddgeir Berg Trio’s debut album. They clearly have a deep understanding of Scandinavian jazz traditions. Songs like “The Mermaid’s Dance”, “Springeren”, and “The Mermaid’s Dance”, conjure up images of summer solstice lit by bonfires at the sea to signal the arrival of Autumn, which buries its roots and turns into winter with fine melodic lines. With their energetic radiance and rhythmic relocations, the trio has many other tricks. The Oslo-based trio shares more similarities with Miles Davis’ Jack Johnson and Scandinavia’s Jan Johannson. Berg’s playing is supported by the energetic Jimi Hendrix rock sounding doublebass and propulsive drum sounds. Berg’s curiosity to experiment with WurlitzerRhodes, synthesizer sounds sneaks in to the soundscape and lends a distinct colour to the sound panorama. from www.oddgeirbergtrio.com
