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Eivind Opsvik

Born in Oslo, bassist and composer Eivind Opsvik was introduced to music at home. His father loved to play the saxophone and constantly spun records—everything from Ornette Coleman to Billie Holiday and The Beatles. An early memory features Eivind on drums, jamming out “A Hard Day’s Night” with his father. Later, a denim-clad rocker cousin lent him a bass guitar and the newfound ability of adding pitch to rhythm was a revelation. Opsvik spent the rest of his teens getting to know this instrument, as well as the double bass, while also experimenting with a 4-track tape recorder and pouring music into his head.

At the age of twenty, Opsvik began studies at the Norwegian Academy of Music, focusing on classical bass. By then, he was already an active participant in Oslo’s vibrant jazz scene, regularly playing with musicians like Paal Nilssen-Love, Christian Wallumrød, Bjørnar Andresen, and Håkon Kornstad; while also performing at festivals and clubs around Europe.

In 1998, Opsvik relocated to New York City, where he has thrived as a working musician, collaborating on projects with among others Anthony Braxton, Paul Motian, John Zorn, Nate Wooley, and Bill Frisell and performing in a wide range of venues like Carnegie Hall, Village Vanguard, Le Poisson Rouge and The Stone. At the Manhattan School of Music he studied jazz and met some of his closest musical brothers, including Loren Stillman, Jeff Davis, and Jacob Sacks. Building on the bonds and shared musical understanding that developed while at school, Eivind invited these players to help him fulfill his vision for the solo project, Overseas.

Opsvik has stated that "overseas" is a fitting way of describing his life—whether in New York or Norway, he is always an ocean’s distance from home. As he continued his journey through the city via late night gigs and daytime sessions, Opsvik connected with other players—visionaries versed in noise improv, electronic, jazz, and classical—who, on subsequent Overseas records, were brought in to augment the lineup. Since 2005, the band has remained consistent, featuring Tony Malaby, Jacob Sacks, and Kenny Wollesen; in 2010, guitarist Brandon Seabrook also became a regular member. Over the years, they have played countless shows around New York City, as well as extensively toured Europe and the American east coast.

In addition to five Overseas albums and his extensive session work, Opsvik’s discography also includes four experimental chamber-pop records made in collaboration with songwriter Aaron Jennings (under the moniker of Opsvik & Jennings) and a multimedia project with photographer Michelle Arcila, which pairs tens songs with ten photographic prints. This project, titled A Thousand Ancestors, came out of Opsvik’s solo double bass performances, which sometimes featured projections of Arcila’s photographs. In recording these bass-centric pieces, he would layer bass with subtle overdubs of lap steel guitar, vintage keyboards, and drum machines, with Arcila’s prints displayed around the studio. The project proved to be an auspicious collaboration for the couple, who, as The New York Times put it, “share an aesthetic of haunting introspection, and the desire to seek out beauty in austerity.”

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Liner Notes

David Binney: Barefooted Town

Read "David Binney: Barefooted Town" reviewed by Josef Woodard


Continuing Saga of the Strong Seeker I remember distinctly during the 2007 Montreal Jazz Festival, sifting through and measuring up the usual blur of stimuli, seeking out the prizes among prizes in the program. In one corner, there was Wayne Shorter, in the finest of his performance I'd ever heard—playing up his suits as composer and soloist by meshing his free-wheeling quartet and the score-heeding Imani Winds. And then, in another corner, as part of the late night haunt of ...

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Radio & Podcasts

Jorma Tapio’s Kaski, Robert Burke & Eivind Opsvik

Read "Jorma Tapio’s Kaski, Robert Burke & Eivind Opsvik" reviewed by Maurice Hogue


A little “Finnish" to start? Why not? Some fine bands from Suomi kick off this episode, with the fine saxophonist Jorma Tapio and his trio, Kaski, leading the way from their new release Aliseen. Tapio and mates use the folk music of Finland as the basis for their intriguing improvisations. After that you'll hear two newer groups on the Finnish scene: Oaagaada and the JAF Trio. Also in that first hour, Aussie saxophonist Rob Burke continues to display his formidable ...

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Album Review

Eivind Opsvik: Overseas V

Read "Overseas V" reviewed by Karl Ackermann


Like his first four Overseas albums, Eivind Opsvik's Overseas V defies conventional descriptions. The New York resident, of Norwegian roots, has developed a peculiar style that marries experimental avant-garde with the folkloric traditions of the North Country. This had been particularly evident on IV when Brandon Seabrook's mandolin and Jacob Sacks' harpsichord meet up with Tony Malaby's saxophone and Kenny Wollesen creative percussion. The cultural clash manages to succeed as a new entity. The quintet personnel remain the same, but ...

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Album Review

Eivind Opsvik: Overseas V

Read "Overseas V" reviewed by Troy Collins


Norwegian-born bassist Eivind Opsvik has been a mainstay of the Downtown scene since his relocation to New York over two decades ago. Starting in 2003, he began issuing a series of sequentially numbered instrumental albums under the banner Overseas, which have featured some of Gotham's finest musicians. Bolstered by the improvisational mettle of his longstanding bandmates, Opsvik's accessible tunes draw melodic, harmonic and rhythmic inspiration from popular music, rather than traditional jazz.Overseas V incrementally ups the ante from ...

Album Review

Eivind Opsvik: Overseas V

Read "Overseas V" reviewed by Nicola Negri


Quinto capitolo per il progetto Overseas di Eivind Opsvik, gruppo ad assetto variabile che il bassista, norvegese di nascita ma da anni residente a New York, ha utilizzato a partire dal 2002 per documentare il proprio percorso artistico. Dal 2005 Overseas si è attestato attorno al nucleo formato da Opsvik e Jacob Sacks (piano e tastiere) insieme ai veterani della scena newyorchese Tony Malaby (sassofoni) e Kenny Wollesen (percussioni), a cui si è aggiunto nel 2010 il chitarrista Brandon Seabrook. ...

Take Five With...

Eivind Opsvik e il Questionario di Proust

Read "Eivind Opsvik e il Questionario di Proust" reviewed by Paolo Peviani


All About Jazz: Il tratto principale della mia musica. Eivind Opsivik: Atmosfere forti. AAJ: La qualità che desidero nei musicisti che suonano con me. E.O.: Che siano al 100% al servizio della musica. AAJ: Come musicista, il momento in cui sono stato più felice. E.O.: Quando suono con la mia band davanti a un buon pubblico, o quando lavoro alla mia musica in studio e faccio un bel ...

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Live Review

Young Jazz Festival

Read "Young Jazz Festival" reviewed by Libero Farnè


Young Jazz Festival 14 Foligno, vari luoghi 17--25.05.2014 Spente le dieci candeline il Young Jazz Festival ha raggiunto una tappa significativa e benaugurale se si considerano i tempi che corrono. Come nelle passate edizioni, una delle scelte caratterizzanti è stata quella di costruire nel tempo iniziative estremamente importanti sotto il profilo umano e sociale, che hanno coinvolto, oltre ovviamente i giovani, anche anziani, bambini, disabili e stranieri della comunità folignate. In tale spirito rientrano ...

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Performance / Tour

Jacob Sacks, Eivind Opsvik, Paul Motian, Mat Maneri Live at Cornelia Street Cafe, NYC

Jacob Sacks, Eivind Opsvik, Paul Motian, Mat Maneri Live at Cornelia Street Cafe, NYC

Source: Michael Ricci

Friday June 11th and Saturday June 12th Cornelia Street Cafe 29 Cornelia Street 9:00PM & 10:30PM TWO MILES A DAY Jacob Sacks, piano; Eivind Opsvik, bass; Mat Manieri, viola, violin; Paul Motian, drums

Back in 2005 Jacob Sacks and Eivind Opsvik wrote five songs each and invited Paul Motian and Mat Maneri with them to record 'Two Miles A Day'. ...

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Performance / Tour

Eivind Opsvik Overseas @ 55 Bar

Eivind Opsvik Overseas @ 55 Bar

Source: All About Jazz

Sunday February 1st 9:30pm 55 Christopher Street New York, NY Eivind Opsvik OVERSEAS Tony Malaby - tenor sax Jacob Sacks - piano and farfisa organ Kenny Wollesen - drums Eivind Opsvik - bass & Compositions About Eivind Opsvik Eivind Opsvik moved to New York City in 1998 to be a part of the rich music scene. He's currently a member of a number of cutting-edge New York bands like Opsvik ...

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Performance / Tour

Opsvik & Jennings @ Galapagos, Dumbo, Brooklyn

Opsvik & Jennings @ Galapagos, Dumbo, Brooklyn

Source: All About Jazz

Galapagos line up features Aaron Jennings and Eivind Opsvik.

1. CLAUDIO FINNI GALDIOLO'S INCAPACITA

2. OPSVIK & JENNINGS Aaron Jennings - guitar Eivind Opsvik - bass, lapsteel guitar, yamaha vss-30 Dave Christian - drums Brian Drye - organ, synthesizer Rich Johnson - trumpet, laptop

3. AMY KOHN OCTET

Thursday January 8, 2008 GALAPAGOS 16 MAIN ST AT WATER ST DUMBO ...

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Performance / Tour

Kornstad-Opsvik-Taborn-Smith @ Nublu on Memorial Day

Kornstad-Opsvik-Taborn-Smith @ Nublu on Memorial Day

Source: All About Jazz

This Monday, May 18th 10pm at Nublu 62 Avenue C, between 4th and 5th Street, NYC F train to 2nd avenue or L train to 1st avenue, look for small blue lamp above door $5 after 10pm Hakon Kornstad - tenor sax Craig Taborn - fender rhodes Ches Smith - drums Eivind Opsvik - bass one of the ...

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Performance / Tour

Anat Fort Trio (Fri) Gnu Vox Special (Sat) Eivind Opsvik's Overseas (Sun) & More This Week at Cornelia Street Cafe

Anat Fort Trio (Fri) Gnu Vox Special (Sat) Eivind Opsvik's Overseas (Sun) & More This Week at Cornelia Street Cafe

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

CORNELIA STREET CAFE New York 212-989-9319 between West 4th and Bleecker Sts, Greenwich Village 1 Subway to Sheridan Square; A, C, E, B, D, V, F to West 4th St. Fri Feb 01, 9:00PM & 10:30PM ANAT FORT TRIO Anat Fort, piano, composer; Gary Wang, bass; Roland Schneider, drums Sat Feb 02, 9:00PM GNU VOX SPECIAL: SEAN WOOD, BECCA STEVENS AND AMANDA BAISINGER Sean Wood, voice, ...

"Norwegian bassist Eivind Opsvik made the most imaginative album trilogy of 2005." —Nate Chinen, JazzTimes, April 2006

"Eivind Opsvik has an unusual gift for writing small, poignant pieces of music. The color and mood of his music, along with its rhythmic patterns, bleed over into pop, and the sound has a sheer, weightless quality." —Ben Ratliff , New York Times, January 2003

"Opsvik's own bass has an aching sound, with his lines plumbing the depths to find almost folk-song-like melodies." —David Dupont, All Music Guide

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