Bugge Wesseltoft & Prins Thomas - Bugge Wesseltoft & Prins Thomas (SMALLTOWN SUPERSOUND 2018)

A long time ago, in a Norway far far away in time, keyboardist Bugge Wesseltoft introduced his New Conception of Jazz to the world. We’re talking about the late 90s, when Bugge’s cosmopolitan blend of jazz, hiphop and techno beats was pretty much the coolest music coming out of Norway at that moment. That was a golden time for Norwegian music, in fact, when the rest of the world began to sit up and take notice that something was stirring up north, and realized the music was more than just glacial tones hurtled from icy mountaintops and frozen lakes. This was the sound of urban Scandinavia. 

A few years later came the electronic dance genre ‘space disco’. Along with Todd Terje, Bjørn Torske and Lindstrøm, Prins Thomas was at the epicentre of this next big wave to surge out of Norway. Now, the two generations have come together in this exclusive collaboration between Bugge and Prins Thomas on the Smalltown Supersound label. Jazz and electronics combine for that energising vitamin D shot of Nordic sunshine. 

The Rainbow Studio in Oslo is a familiar name to anyone who follows the ECM label – many of its classic 1970s jazz albums were recorded there under the eye of resident producer Jan Erik Kongshaug. Bugge and Thomas booked a couple of sessions at the legendary space with Kongshaug at the controls, and improvised some tunes in the style and spirit of some of their favourite ECM moments, like the fresh, open sounds of Codona, Egberto Gismonti, Oregon and Kenny Wheeler. Bugge had previously done a remix of Thomas’s ‘Bobletekno’ in 2015 but this is the first time they have worked together as active musicians. The results – also partly taped at Thomas’s home studio – fuse programmed rhythms, live synths and percussion, all captured in sumptuously spacious acoustics.

For an even more authentic touch they called up one of their all time local heroes and one of Norway’s most famous jazz drummers, Jon Christensen, who’s been the go-to guy for Jan Garbarek, Terje Rypdal, Keith Jarrett and many more. At 75 years he’s still pretty spry behind the kit, as you’ll hear on several tracks here. 

Make no mistake, though, this is not retro pastiche but contemporary music, coasting on gently insistent programmed grooves and bubbling basslines. The whole thing feels not so much like a consciously hip fusion of DJ and jazz musician, more like two great musicians totally enjoying themselves.

1. Furuberget 18:18

2. Norte do Brasil 05:42

3. Sin Tempo 09:43

4. Bar Asfalt 13:32

5. Epilog 13:55

Bugge Wesseltoft - Everybody Loves Angels (ACT MUSIC 2017)

Bugge Wesseltoft - Somewhere In Between (2016) JAZZLANDREC

Bringing a thoroughly contemporary sound to the piano and keyboards, Bugge Wesseltoft made a huge impact in his homeland during the '90s. After that, he toured internationally, working in both jazz and rock contexts. In the early '90s he was a member of Arild Andersen's band, and played on Jan Garbarek's Molde Canticle, a commission from the Molde Jazz Festival. With both of these artists, he blended in well with the postmodern concepts of ECM Records. Other artists with whom he worked during these years were guitarists Terje Rypdal and Jon Eberson, and singer Sidsel Endresen. With the latter, he was on her commissioned project for the Molde Jazz Festival, which was recorded for ECM. His own commissioned work, A Little War Story, was performed at the 1993 Vossa Jazz Festival. In 1995, Wesseltoft formed his own band, New Conception of Jazz, and the Jazzland record label, the first album from which was awarded a Spellemannprisen (the Norwegian equivalent of a Grammy) in the following year. In the mid-'90s he toured and recorded with Billy Cobham, Endresen, and Garbarek again, appearing on the latter's Rites.

During these years and on to the end of the decade, his music found an audience among those who inhabited Norway's techno and dance music scenes. This connection with the club world led to the 2000 release of Jazzland Remixed, which enhanced his reputation even more with that audience. Firmly committed to electronic music, Wesseltoft completely eschewed acoustic forms and was just as adamant that he would not be tied by genre boundaries, bringing hip-hop and other contemporary dance music forms into his concept of contemporary jazz. On 1998's Sharing, he raised some eyebrows by his extensive use of club DJs and scratchers.

Disc 1

1 Existence (Wesseltoft) Sharing (1998) 2016 version

2 Hope (Youssef, Wesseltoft, Lönna, Gensollen) Film Ing (2004) 2016 version

3 Hands (Wesseltoft) – Playing (2008) 2016 version

4 Oh Ye (Wesseltoft) – Film ing (2004

5 Yoyk (Boine, Wesseltoft) IM (2007) 2016 version

6 Wy (Mowadi, Wesseltoft) IM (2007) 2016 version

7 Out Here in there – (Endresen Wesseltoft )- Out here In There (2002)

8 Try – out here in there 2001 – (Endresen – Wesseltoft) – Out Here. In There 2002

9 Den fyrste songen (trad) (Kraggerud -Wesseltoft) – Last Spring (2012)

10 Kammermusik (Wesseltoft – Schwarz) – DUO (2011)

Disc 2

1 Round Midnight (mingus) – (Wesseltoft, Schwarz, Berglund) – Trialogue (2014)

2 Sender (ONE) (Wesseltoft, Saunders, Hutchinson). Unreleased (2013)

3 Turner (TWO u click) (Wesseltoft) Unreleased (2014)

4 How High The Moon (Hamilton, Lewis) Songs (2011)

5 Breed it – (Wesseltoft). Bugge and Friends – Play It (2015)

6 Mamullah (Yassine) – OKWORLD – (2014)

7 You Might Say – (Endresen, Wessetoft) Sharing (1998) New Version 2016

8 Mitt Hjerte Alltid Vanker – Its Snowing On My Piano (1997)

9 Yellow Is the Colour (Wesseltoft) – Moving (2001)

10 Somewhere In Between (Wesseltoft) New Conception Of Jazz (1996)

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