Albatrosh - Yonkers

Norwegian jazz is as vital as ever and one can but wonder where it all comes from. With ”Yonkers” Eyolf Dale (26) and André Roligheten (26) are already three albums into their career and showing a maturity in writing and playing that is betraying their age considerably. The album was recorded during what the duo descibe as a magic late night session in the Oktaven Audio studio in Yonkers just outside New York City. The music is contemporary jazz with threads to both American and European traditions, structured compositions paired with improvisation; playful and melodic, modern and accessible. Eyolf and André met at school in the small town of Skien and have played together since the age of seventeen. The duo formally started in 2006, followed by rehearsals and concerts. They won the annual JazzIntro prize at Molde Int. Jazz Festival in 2008 and the ”best band” category at the European Jazz Competition at the North Sea Jazz in 2009, with jury leader Maria Schneider commenting ”most original, great interplay and amazing improvisation, effective and colourful compositions”. The same year also saw the release of their debut album ”Seagull Island” followed by ”Mystery Orchestra with Grenager & Tafjord” (2010), both receiving great reviews, the latter named best Norwegian jazz record of the year in national paper Dagsavisen. Grenager and Tafjord are both founder members of SPUNK, the all female impro quartet that has released six albums on Rune Grammofon. Eyolf Dale got his exams at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo in 2009 and received a master degree in improvisation at the same academy in the spring of 2011. He recently released a solo piano record and is also playing in Hayden Powell Trio and Kompen Quintet. André Roligheten got his exams at Jazzlinja at NTNU in Trondheim in 2009. Like Eyolf, he also has a master degree in improvisation from the Norwegian Academy of Music. Other bands and project include Team Hegdal and Trondheim Jazzorkester.

Tracklisting:

1.Albony & Ivory
2.Fifths
3.Major Little
4.Coral Fox
5.Linedance
6.Central Park
7.Pickup Truck
8.Pannebrask

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