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Tord Gustavsen

This is music that sings, at once gentle and robust. Lyrical, immediately memorable songs, songs of an appealing freshness, yet sophisticated in their involvement with the melodic line.

In the seven years that have elapsed since the recording of a debut album that proved both a popular and a critical success, Tord Gustavsen has toured extensively, crystallizing the musical approach and developing new compositions. The second trio album "The Ground" was released in 2005. In 2007 the trio completed a unique trilogy with a release named "Being There".

In 2009, Tord changed into a different and somewhat more flexible ensemble form, releasing the album "Restored, Returned" with a line-up including Kristin Asbjørnsen (vocals), Tore Brunborg (saxophones), Mats Eilertsen (bass), Jarle Vespestad (drums). The ensemble continues to perform in duo, trio, quartet and quintet formats — exploring the different internal configurations while still remaining essentially one musical project. The quartet formation has since become Tord's major touring and recording constellation, with recent ECM releases "The Well" (2012) and "Extended Circle" (2014).

Tord's music is still melodic and almost romantic. It still displays a striking, spacious 'Nordic-Caribbean-gospel-bluesy' fresh feel while presenting Tord Gustavsen's original compositions. The ensemble also integrates new musical fields in its interaction, and the musical palette is widened with a fuller spectrum in dynamics and timbres. The musicians are just as un-compromising in their search for beauty as they are in their search for a creative approach with fresh phrasing and imaginative playing.

Awards

Selected awards: Norwegian Grammy (Spellemannsprisen) 2009 for "Restored, Returned" // Bell Award, Australia 2006 - "The Ground" voted best international jazz album of the year by Australian critics // "The Ground" sold to gold in Norway (20,000 copies), and has sold more than 15,000 copies in Germany // Other awards include: Stereophile (Recording of the month); Jazzreview (Editor’s Choice); Le Monde de la musique (Choc du mois); Jazzman (Choc du mois); Fono Forum (Empfehlung des Monats); Piano News (CD des Doppel- monats); Gramophone Korea (Editor’s Choice)


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25
Album Review

Tord Gustavsen Trio: Seeing

Read "Seeing" reviewed by Konstantin Rega


It is difficult to create a big or stirring sound with a small group of musicians. However, Norwegian pianist Tord Gustavsen and his trio offer an expansive, sophisticated and diverse sound on their album Seeing. With its meditative qualities, the album follows in the footsteps of the trio's previous releases, such as The Other Side (ECM, 2018) and Changing Places (ECM, 2003). However, it also broadens the group's sonic character in subtle but impactful ways. A wonderful blend of original ...

19
Album Review

Tord Gustavsen Trio: Seeing

Read "Seeing" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


A moving stillness undergirds and empowers Seeing, pianist Tord Gustavsen's tenth triumph for ECM. From the scraping arc through the first mood shift of “Jesus, Make Me Still" it is possible to lock in on the blue gospel vibe and shut the door to the cluttered details and emails of the day. And never mind song titles like the above or “The Old Church," “Beneath Your Wisdom" or “Nearer My God, To Thee." For three guys from the ...

13
Play This!

Tord Gustavsen Trio: Changing Places

Read "Tord Gustavsen Trio: Changing Places" reviewed by Jeffrey Allen Chelsky


I never tire of listening to the masterful Tord Gustavsen in his various incarnations, this time with his trio composed of bassist Harald Johnsen and drummer Jarle Vespestad, Changing Places has been out since 2003 and seems new every time I play it. I listen and it is as if the world slows down and fades into the background. Like so much of Nordic jazz (which you should try if you have not had the pleasure--in addition to Norway's Gustavsen, ...

9
Album Review

Tord Gustavsen Trio: Opening

Read "Opening" reviewed by Peter Jones


Tord Gustavsen's first three piano trio albums sold in unimaginable quantities, made him an unlikely star in his native Norway, and established him internationally. He became the living embodiment of the ECM sound—quiet, contemplative, solemn, spacious. In fact, so spacious, that at gigs one would sometimes wait a seeming eternity for the arrival of the next tinkling arpeggio, the next scrape of a fingernail across the snare drum, or growling bass slide. Minimalist it most certainly is, but putting this ...

9
Album Review

Tord Gustavsen Trio: Opening

Read "Opening" reviewed by David Bruggink


After 2018's stellar The Other Side, Tord Gustavsen again graces listeners with a trio format. On this outing, ecologically-minded double bassist Sigurd Hole is replaced by ECM newcomer Steinar Raknes. A prolific recording artist with everything from dusky alt-country and americana to post-bop and free jazz to his name, Raknes introduces new flavors to the trio's palette. Gustavsen, along with stalwart percussionist Jarle Vespestad, proves to be an ideal collaborator with Raknes' diverse musical background. Opening begins even less conspicuously than ...

9
Live Review

Norwegian Digital Jazz Festival 2020, Part 1

Read "Norwegian Digital Jazz Festival 2020, Part 1" reviewed by Mark Sullivan


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 Norwegian Digital Jazz Festival Sentralen Oslo, Norway November 6-17, 2020 With the physical 2020 festival cancelled, the Big Ears Festival has turned its attention to broadcasting filmed and live streamed concerts, under the moniker “Sites & Sounds From Big Ears." Many of the shows have taken place in the Knoxville area, but for this ambitious series of filmed concerts they have turned to Norwegian ...

12
Album Review

Tord Gustavsen Trio: The Other Side

Read "The Other Side" reviewed by David Bruggink


In spiritual parlance, “the other side" often refers to a realm beyond death. Tord Gustavsen is no stranger to integrating music to religious practice, performing frequent “Musikkmeditasjon" concerts in Norwegian churches. It would be reductive, however, to describe his music in New Age terms. Gustavsen is a master composer and improviser, and The Other Side is introspective music performed with sublime subtlety, always keeping one eye trained on the avant-garde. This marks Gustavsen's first trio recording since Being ...

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2

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Tord Gustavsen

Jazz Musician of the Day: Tord Gustavsen

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Tord Gustavsen's birthday today!

This is music that sings, at once gentle and robust. Lyrical, immediately memorable songs, songs of an appealing freshness, yet sophisticated in their involvement with the melodic line. In the seven years that have elapsed since the recording of a debut album that proved both a popular and a critical success, Tord Gustavsen has toured extensively, crystallizing the musical approach and developing new compositions. The second trio album “The Ground" was ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Tord Gustavsen

Jazz Musician of the Day: Tord Gustavsen

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Tord Gustavsen's birthday today!

This is music that sings, at once gentle and robust. Lyrical, immediately memorable songs, songs of an appealing freshness, yet sophisticated in their involvement with the melodic line. In the seven years that have elapsed since the recording of a debut album that proved both a popular and a critical success, Tord Gustavsen has toured extensively, crystallizing the musical approach and developing new compositions. The second trio album “The Ground" was ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Tord Gustavsen

Jazz Musician of the Day: Tord Gustavsen

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Tord Gustavsen's birthday today!

This is music that sings, at once gentle and robust. Lyrical, immediately memorable songs, songs of an appealing freshness, yet sophisticated in their involvement with the melodic line. In the seven years that have elapsed since the recording of a debut album that proved both a popular and a critical success, Tord Gustavsen has toured extensively, crystallizing the musical approach and developing new compositions. The second trio album “The Ground" was ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Tord Gustavsen

Jazz Musician of the Day: Tord Gustavsen

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Tord Gustavsen's birthday today!

This is music that sings, at once gentle and robust. Lyrical, immediately memorable songs, songs of an appealing freshness, yet sophisticated in their involvement with the melodic line. In the seven years that have elapsed since the recording of a debut album that proved both a popular and a critical success, Tord Gustavsen has toured extensively, crystallizing the musical approach and developing new compositions... Read more.

Place our Musician of the ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Tord Gustavsen

Jazz Musician of the Day: Tord Gustavsen

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Tord Gustavsen's birthday today!

This is music that sings, at once gentle and robust. Lyrical, immediately memorable songs, songs of an appealing freshness, yet sophisticated in their involvement with the melodic line. In the seven years that have elapsed since the recording of a debut album that proved both a popular and a critical success, Tord Gustavsen has toured extensively, crystallizing the musical approach and developing new compositions... Read more.

Place our Musician of the ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Tord Gustavsen

Jazz Musician of the Day: Tord Gustavsen

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Tord Gustavsen's birthday today!

This is music that sings, at once gentle and robust. Lyrical, immediately memorable songs, songs of an appealing freshness, yet sophisticated in their involvement with the melodic line. In the seven years that have elapsed since the recording of a debut album that proved both a popular and a critical success, Tord Gustavsen has toured extensively, crystallizing the musical approach and developing new compositions... Read more.

Place our Musician of the ...

2

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Tord Gustavsen

Jazz Musician of the Day: Tord Gustavsen

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Tord Gustavsen's birthday today!

This is music that sings, at once gentle and robust. Lyrical, immediately memorable songs, songs of an appealing freshness, yet sophisticated in their involvement with the melodic line. In the seven years that have elapsed since the recording of a debut album that proved both a popular and a critical success, Tord Gustavsen has toured extensively, crystallizing the musical approach and developing new compositions... Read more.

Place our Musician of the ...

3

Festival

Jarasum International Jazz Festival, 3-5 October, Bigger And Better Than Ever!

Jarasum International Jazz Festival, 3-5 October,  Bigger And Better Than Ever!

Source: All About Jazz

The Jarasum International Jazz Festival returns for its eleventh edition between 3 - 5 October. Last year’s 10th anniversary bash attracted over 230,000 Korean jazz fans and an even greater number is expected this year. As ever, a veritable feast of international jazz will be served up on the festival’s numerous stages. Korean jazz in all its wonderful variety is always extremely well represented at Jarasum and in the first decade of what is surely one of the world’s best ...

3

Contest

Enter the "Tord Gustavsen - Extended Circle" Giveaway at All About Jazz!

Enter the "Tord Gustavsen - Extended Circle" Giveaway at All About Jazz!

Source: All About Jazz

All About Jazz members are invited to enter the ECM Records “Tord Gustavsen Quartet - Extended Circle“ giveaway contest starting today. We'll select FIVE winners at the conclusion of the contest on April 28th. Click here to enter the contest (Becoming a fan of Tord Gustavsen at AAJ automatically enters you in the contest.) Good luck! Your Friends at ECM Records About Extended Circle The sixth ECM album from Tord Gustavsen, recorded in Oslo in June 2013, quietly ...

29

Festival

Tord Gustavsen Trio Headlines 13th Bray Jazz Festival, May 4-6

Tord Gustavsen Trio Headlines 13th Bray Jazz Festival, May 4-6

Source: Ian Patterson

The Bray Jazz Festival returns for its 13th edition over the May Bank Holiday weekend with a typically eclectic and exciting line-up that showcases all that is best in modern jazz. Norwegian pianist Tord Gustavsen gets the festival under way on Friday 4th, leading his trio of drummer Jarle Vespestad and bassist Mats Eilertsen. Gustavsen has been a leading light of the progressive Norwegian music scene for over a decade, and a trio of critically acclaimed albums for ECM have ...

".. a dozen contemplative wonders.. A fascinating interplay between abstraction and gospel roots" (Billboard Magazine, USA)

"Gustavsen's tunes are hypnotically strong" (John Fordham - The Guardian, UK)

"A trilogy [that] could be the most essential jazz document of the last ten year. Sublime." (Phil Johnson, Independent on Sunday, UK)

"There is a tremendous emotional depth to this music, which is at the same time subtly grooving. ... music of notable charm and lasting effect." (Ian Patterson, All About Jazz)

"Ein betörendes Meisterwerk der leisen Töne" (Jazzpodium, De.)

"Die Musik vereint Gegensetliches, trennt wieder, hebt Widersprüche, spitzt sie zu - und dies alles gleichzeitig." (Norbert Dömling, Süddeutsche Zeiting, De,)

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Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Seeing

ECM Records
2024

buy

Opening

ECM Records
2022

buy

The Other Side

ECM Records
2018

buy

What was said

ECM Records
2016

buy

Tord Gustavsen...

ECM Records
2014

buy

Extended Circle

ECM Records
2014

buy

Videos

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