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Cortex
Cortex is a spirited combo that plays energetic jazz of the finest brand. With over hundred live-performances and two studio albums, the quartet positions itself as one of the strongest additions to the Norwegian jazz scene. The members are amongst the most sought after young jazz performers in Norway today. They all have marked their position in several other constellations such as: Bushman’s Revenge, Puma, Team Hegdal, SAKA, Zanussi 5, Friends & Neighbors, AKODE, Honest John, and The Heat Death. After extensive touring in Norway, Sweden, Germany, Czech Republic, Belgium, France, Italy, Slovenia, Portugal USA and Japan, Cortex released their second album october 2012, Göteborg, on Gigafon Records.
Cortex just released their third album “Live!” on Clean Feed Records.
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Cortex: Legal Tender
by Mark Corroto
The Norwegian quartet Cortex answers the question, what would have happened if the Wynton Marsalis and Branford Marsalis, had advanced the jazz canon instead of looking backwards for inspiration. Remember when the two young lions burst onto the scene in the 1980s with their self-righteous mission to save jazz? They did so by stuffing it, much like a taxidermist, to preserve an endangered species. Their neocon approach actually can make us grateful for bands like Cortex with their inclinations to ...
read moreA Musical Portrait Of Cortex
by Centro d'Arte Padova
For this new installment of our 50/50" series, we asked the members of Cortex (Thomas Johansson, Kristoffer Berre Alberts, Ola Høyer, Gard Nilssen), one of the most interesting groups in the burgeoning Norwegian jazz scene, to choose five tracks that inspired them in their music making. We then completed the selection with five other tracks taken from the band's already rich discography. Playlist Cortex Opening" from Live! (Clean Feed) 00:00 Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath Mra" from ...
read moreCortex: Avant-Garde Party Music
by Vic Albani
Fossero tutte così le party-band! Cortex e Clean Feed colpiscono ancora e questo nuovo e ironico Avant-Garde Party Music la dice lunga sulle prospettive dello straordinario quartetto norvegese che dà alle stampe un nuovo capitolo della loro fortunata discografia. Se qualcuno cercasse una naturale evoluzione di un moderno hard-bop che attraversando gli insegnamenti di Ornette Coleman giunge ad un iper-realista punk-jazz mediato dalle filosofie del free," lo può certamente trovare nelle spire di questa incisione e, più in ...
read moreCortex: Avant-Garde Party Music
by John Sharpe
Why change a winning formula? If Norwegian crew Cortex has considered that question, then the response was likely an unconcerned shrug. Studio session Avant-Garde Party Music continues firmly in the winning vein established by Clean Feed predecessors Live! (2014) and Live In New York (2016), mashing 1960s New Thing tropes with contemporary inside/outside soloing. Trumpeter Thomas Johansson pens all eight pieces in the 38-minute program, for the by now familiar cast list, completed by reedman Kristoffer Berre Alberts. bassist Ola ...
read moreMark Corroto's Best Releases of 2017
by Mark Corroto
And what a year it was. With all hurricanes, raging fires, and end-of-the-world politics, we were fortunate to have the magical salve that is music. Complied here are my favorite releases of this past year. I tried to pare down a long list of 50 to 10, but it was impossible. The music you see below has continued in heavy rotation in my house, my car, and on my phone. Matthew Shipp Trio Piano Song
read moreCortex: Avant-Garde Party Music
by Mark Corroto
Do you have Blue Zone envy? You know the places where people live the longest and happiest lives on the planet. They seem to get more physical activity then we do, eat better, love their communities and politicians. Politicians? I know. They even make some of the best modern jazz. Case in point the Norwegian quartet Cortex. It includes trumpeter Thomas Johansson (Friends & Neighbors, Paal Nilssen-Love Large Unit), saxophonist Kristoffer Berre Alberts (Saka, Snik, Starlite Motel), bassist Ola Høyer ...
read moreCortex: Live In New York
by John Sharpe
Live In New York constitutes the fourth outing by young Norwegian outfit Cortex. It's one of a stream of top notch dates emerging on the Portuguese Clean Feed label by a welter of interconnected bands from the burgeoning Scandinavian scene. All four members share a common background in jazz studies from Trondheim, but are now active in a variety of guises. Trumpeter Thomas Johansson appears on All Included's Satan in Plain Clothes (2015)and Friends & Neighbors' What's Wrong? (2016), while ...
read moreThe Cortex and the Booty-by Steve Provizer
Source:
Brilliant Corners, a Boston Jazz Blog
This is Your Brain on Music The brass band I play with has been talking about the Asphalt Orchestra. In their videos, they seem to be having a great time, engaging the crowd, playing interesting, offbeat music (apart from New Orleans stuff, arrangements of Zappa, Bjork...). On the other hand, a band-mate saw them on the plaza at Lincoln Ctr. over the weekend and described them as appealing more to the intellect than wanting to make you dance." Meanwhile, back ...
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The Cortex and the Booty
Source:
Brilliant Corners, a Boston Jazz Blog
This is Your Brain on MusicThe brass band I play with has been talking about the Asphalt Orchestra. In their they seem to be having a great time, engaging the crowd, playing interesting, offbeat music (apart from New Orleans stuff, arrangements of Zappa, Bjork...). On the other hand, a band-mate saw them on the plaza at Lincoln Ctr. over the weekend and described them as appealing more to the intellect than wanting to make you dance."Meanwhile, ...
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Alain Mion & Cortex
Source:
All About Jazz
Alain Mion & Cortex whose band is internationnally considered as the french jazz funk band (classified near The Cruisaders or the Headhunters).
Their album Troupeau Bleu (Underdog Records), is a cult and is researched by many collectors. After their sold-out gig at the New Morning (Paris), in March 2009, their rebirth is offcialized by their next gig, at Espace Culturel Dispan de Floran (Ha-les-Roses), will be filmed for the TV Channel MEZZO.
Espace Culturel Dispan de Floran 11, ...
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“Göteborg’ establishes Cortex as one of the greatest bands currently working in Norway.” -Eval Hareuveni, All About Jazz
“You want genre labels, call it avant garde party music.” -Daniel Spicer, Jazzwise