Norwegian jazz pianist, composer and producer Bugge Wesseltoft released a new album as a result of a collaboration with classic violinist Henning Kraggerud.
The album Last Spring is the long expected continuation of his 1997 release It’s Snowing On My Piano and it represents the development of a concept made of symbiosis of Norwegian folk and classic music. Wesseltoft is a master of live electronics and jazz improvisation, in this project however, he shows his steady, classic side. Together with Kraggerud he put together a sparkling program of 16 compositions based on Norwegian folk music.
As the title proclaims, Last Spring is evoking spring. It is not an exulting, whirling awakening, but a sustained, minimalistic meditation oriented strongly towards the details, the variance of melodies, breadth and depth of the sound. Wesseltoft’s soft piano sound melts like wax with the pizzicato melodies of Kraggeruds 1744 Guarneri violin, his Harald Lund viola and his six-stringed viola Concorda.
This magical duo succeeds to conjure up new sound ideas and facets from spring, just as the original concept intended. There is no doubt that this CD will be played from February to May. And not only then.
The CD was published in Norway in June, and international release date is August 31. The album was published by ACT, the project had its international premiere on June 26 at the Chamber Music Festival of Oslo.
This extraordinary Norwegian pianist performed in Sarajevo in 2007 at the 11th Jazz Fest when three of his projects were introduced to local audience: a solo concert at Dom Armije, Jazzland Community at Bosanski kulturni centar and Mungolian Jet Set at the CDA.
Tracklist:
1 Blåmann (melody by Anne Haavie) 4:57
2 Om Kvelden 6:11
3 Margit Hjukse 3:25
4 Stevtone 5:44
5 Hei hu 3:57
6 Jeg lagde meg så silde 5:58
7 Lilja (Øyonn Groven Myhren) 5:08
8 Last Spring (based on Edvard Grieg) 5:53
9 Byssan Lull 2:58
10 Den fyrste song 3:38
11 Gjendines Bådnlåt 5:48
12 Maria durch ein Dornwald ging 4:42
13 Sæterjentens Søndag 4:59
14 La Folia (improvisation) 2:43
15 Til Ungdommen (melody by Otto Mortensen) 3:42
16 Wiegenlied (Johannes Brahms) 3:11