Tord Gustavsen Trio

Tord Gustavsen Trio: Opening

by Peter Jones
May 11, 2022

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 ...

Tord Gustavsen Trio: The Other Side

by David Bruggink
July 1, 2020

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 ...

Tord Gustavsen Trio: The Other Side

by Neri Pollastri
June 6, 2019

Undici anni dopo Being There il pianista norvegese Tord Gustavsen torna a registrare in trio, formazione che aveva preferito non affrontare più dopo la scomparsa di Harald Johnson, il contrabbassista che lo aveva sempre accompagnato assieme al batterista Jarle Vespestad. Adesso, con l'ingresso di Sigurd Hole, Gustavsen si riavvicina alla forma che l'aveva lanciato e lo fa da un lato riprendendo il filo di un discorso lirico e legato alla musica popolare della sua terra, così come in passato, dall'altro ...

Tord Gustavsen Trio: The Ground

by Eric J. Iannelli
May 15, 2005

ECM considers pianist Tord Gustavsen to be the least “Nordic" of the several Norwegian artists on its roster. This is because his compositions, while typically pensive and austere, have also endeavored to incorporate the deepest roots of jazz in Afro-American blues and gospel. Musical and philosophical sophistication commingles with raw emotion and lyrical melodies, creating a sound that is at once cerebral, spiritual, and visceral.

The style that he and his longtime (relatively speaking, as Gustavsen is only 35) trio ...

Tord Gustavsen Trio: The Ground

by AAJ Staff
April 12, 2005

Norwegian pianist Tord Gustavsen became something of a rock star in his own country after Changing Places (ECM, 2003) came out two years ago. The fact that a jazz record--particularly such a mellow, understated one--could rise above a mess of mass-market pop came as a surprise to just about everyone involved, but I guess it's a sign that the Norwegians have pretty good taste in music after all. The rest of the world caught on a little more slowly, but ...

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

Source: Ian Patterson
April 28, 2012

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 ...
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