Eivind Aarset
Eivind Aarset is a guitarist with a unique musical vision that absorbs and reflects all manner of music while retaining an enviable individualism and high quality craftsmanship that can span from quiet intimacy to searing intensity. His debut as a bandleader on Jazzland Recordings was described by The New York Times as One of the best post-Miles electric jazz albums, setting a high benchmark that Aarset has consistently met and exceeded, both in the studio and in live performance.
As one of Norway's most in-demand guitarists, Eivind Aarset has worked with Bill Laswell, Dhafer Youssef, Jon Hassell, Jan Garbarek, Paolo Fresu, Marilyn Mazur, J.Peter Schwalm, Talvin Singh, and Andy Sheppard. He works regularly with Nils Petter Molvær's band, (appearing on all of Molvær's albums, including the breakthrough album Khmer and 2005's award-winning ER). He also is a regular collaborator with Dhafer Youssef, both live and in the studio.
Aarset's musical awakening happened when, at the age of 12, he heard Jimi Hendrix. I started on the guitar as soon as I heard him, he recalls with a smile. I bought a second hand Hendrix record and that was it. Then I started getting into rock bands like Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Santana and Pink Floyd before my brother introduced me to the music of Miles Davis, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report and Return to Forever. After a while, I got into the ECM sound of Jan Garbarek, and Terje Rypdal, who was a big influence. Then I went on the road with a fulltime heavy metal band, a fantastic experience, until I got tired of being angry every night! Then I quit and became a session musician.
As part of the band, Ab Und Zu, he created the unique guitar style and sound he would later develop further as part of saxophonist Bendik Hofseth's group. However, it was his involvement with Bugge Wesseltoft and the Oslo Jazz underground that crystallized the sound he was seeking: What drew me to this music was the hypnotic grooves and musical freedom I found, says Eivind. There's no established rules or tradition in what I am doing, you can make the rules up as you go along. Rhythm is the centre of the music, the landscape the soloist travels through. It's fresh territory and I have no idea where this scene will end up, but there's a lot of great sounds and new music being created which makes it such an exciting scene.
In 1998, Aarset released Electronique Noire, his debut as a bandleader, and among the first Jazzland releases. Critics cast about for description that fitted the album: Post rock; Nu Jazz; Post Miles Ambient; and Drum 'n' Bass Fusion are among the many efforts, yet none truly captures the unlikely match of diversity and coherence that the album displays. During this time, Aarset was working and touring with Nils Petter Molvær, recording on the trumpeter's landmark album Khmer (and each Molvær album since). As Molvær broke through, gaining an international listenership, many fans found their way to Electronique Noire and the initial, mind-bending impact of the album opener, Dark Moisture, is still a popular topic of discussion among Aarset fans.
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The two years since avant guitarist Aarset's last opus, Light Extracts, have been filled with several major shifts in direction. Up until now (at least outside his native Norway), his name's been, err, connected mainly with jazz 'n' bass trumpeter Nils Petter Molvaer. Yet, apart from last year's triumphant appearance with Molvaer at the ICA (performing a live soundtrack to Lang's Metropolis), he's been using new, younger collaborators to push his work in fresh directions. Connected bears the fruits of those endeavours.
Two key names in the aforementioned change in direction have been Dhafer Youssef, the Parisian-based singer and oud player on whose album Digital Prophecy he made a major contribution, and fellow Norwegian electronica man-of-the-moment, Jan Bang
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guitar, electric

trumpet

saxophone

trumpet

trumpet

guitar, electric

guitar

piano

voice / vocals

piano

saxophone

band/orchestra

keyboards