ABOUT THIS ALBUM:

What kind of musical chemistry arises when an eclectic quintet invites one of Norway’s most experienced and eminent guitarists, Nils-Olav Johansen? The answer is found in this album.

Live at Dokkhuset was recorded 29 March 2019 at Dokkhuset in Trondheim. The album contains six original compositions performed by Cecilie Grundt Quintet featuring jazz star Nils-Olav Johansen on guitar, banjo and vocal. Johansen is considered a central figure in modern jazz and improvisational music in Norway. He is one of the co-founders of the group Farmers Market, which incorporates elements from jazz, rock, pop, bluegrass, classical - and most significantly - Bulgarian folk music. Johansen is currently employed as a professor at the Department of Music at NTNU, in addition to his activities as a performing musician.

The album begins with a majestic and playful song ‘Court Of The Lions’, continued by ‘I Won’t Forget’, which is inspired by modern American jazz. Next is the two-part suite ‘Contemporary Old School I-II’, followed by ‘Sjakka’, both of the songs are influenced by contemporary classical music. The album ends with ‘Blues’, a composition which draws inspiration from the blues, spirituals and gospel music. Grundt says:

«I have structured the form of the composition around "call-and-response" so that it works similarly to a conversation. The conversation begins between the banjo and the horn players, gradually adding the piano, the bass, and the drums to join the conversation.»

Collectivism is a major part of the music on the album, but there is also a lot of space for individual statements.

Cecilie Grundt Quintet was established in 2016 at the Department of Music (Jazzlinja) at NTNU in Trondheim. The debut album Contemporary Old School was released in May 2019. The quintet has been touring in Europe and Norway, developing an original sound as well as a strong communicative interplay through playfulness and curiosity. Cecilie Grundt Quintet was invited to perform at the BMW Welt Jazz Award 2020 in Munich.

PERSONNEL:

Special guest: Nils-Olav Johansen – guitar, banjo and vocal

Cecilie Grundt – tenor saxophone and soprano saxophone
Øyvind Frøberg Mathisen – trumpet
Håvard Aufles – piano
Morten Berger Stai – bass
Åsmund Mattias Smidt – drums

Watch YouTube videos from the concert:

youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxnhJ9MRqLD8Lgzv-ECkA0dnR3g9h5AT_&si=WBzaBwFCURaW2u91