Ayumi Tanaka Trio - Subaqueous Silence (October 29, 2021 ECM)

Subaqueous Silence, pianist Ayumi Tanaka’s leader debut for ECM – following critically acclaimed releases with Thomas Strønen (Lucus, Bayou) – is a strikingly original statement. Tanaka met bassist Christian Meaas Svendsen and drummer Per Oddvar Johansen shortly after arriving in Oslo a decade ago and they have been developing their musical language together, exploring the implications of Ayumi’s compositions. Deep interest in the work of Norwegian improvisers prompted Tanaka’s move to the West, but she also speaks of a growing awareness of her own cultural roots; there is an ascetic rigour in her playing, as well as a sense of space suggesting affinities with Japanese classical music. Ayumi views the trio as “more like a chamber ensemble. We share a flow of energy, even in silence.” Per Oddvar Johansen’s subtle drumming has previously distinguished recordings with Trygve Seim, Christian Wallumrød and others. Christian Meaas Svendsen makes his first ECM appearance on Subaqueous Silence; his intensely expressive arco bass on “Black Rain” is among the album’s highlights.

1 RUINS (Ayumi Tanaka) 06:39

2 BLACK RAIN (Ayumi Tanaka) 04:52

3 RUINS II (Ayumi Tanaka) 02:42

4 ICHI (Per Oddvar Johansen, Christian Meaas Svendsen, Ayumi Tanaka) 03:35

5 ZEPHYR (Per Oddvar Johansen, Ayumi Tanaka) 03:04

6 TOWARDS THE SEA (Per Oddvar Johansen, Christian Meaas Svendsen, Ayumi Tanaka) 04:14

7 SUBAQUEOUS SILENCE (Ayumi Tanaka) 09:25

Ayumi Tanaka   Piano

Christian Meaas Svendsen   Double Bass

Per Oddvar Johansen   Drums

PREORDER

CONCERTS

November 28 Thomas Strønen/ Ayumi Tanaka/ Marthe Lea BRAND! Jazz festival Mechelen Belgium

December 07 Ayumi Tanaka Trio Jazzclub Unterfahrt Munich Germany

December 08 Ayumi Tanaka Trio Bærum Kulturhus Sadvika Norway

Jon Rune Strøm Quintet - Fragments (CLEAN FEED RECORDS 2018)

Yes, you can create a band concept from the double bass position, but instead of putting himself as the focus of the collective music of his quintet, bassist and composer Jon Rune Strøm enlisted a second bass player, Christian Meaas Svendsen, for the group, like him doubling the upright instrument with an electric one. Which means that the idea is on the sound, not the personality. And the choice of companion explains much of what we find in “Fragments”. If Strøm is known for his incredible energy and physicality, Svendsen is a force of nature, sometimes using two or three bows or performing with arms, legs, feet and mouth. The center of gravity of the music is low, but the two horns manage to take it to the highest levels possible, namely trumpeter Thomas Johansson and tenor saxophonist André Roligheten, with drummer Andreas Wildhagen gluing it all and covering the fortuitous gaps like an octopus. That’s what differenciates the Jon Rune Strøm Quintet from all the other bands including Strøm’s contribution, namely Friends & Neighbors, All Included, Universal Indians and Frode Gjerstad Trio. The project belongs to the same family tree, call it free music or free jazz as you wish, but there’s something else going on. Bass-driven pleasure in its purist form, that is.

Thomas Johansson: trumpet

André Roligheten: tenor saxophone

Christian Meaas Svendsen: double bass, fender bass [left channel]

Jon Rune Strøm: double bass, fender bass [right channel]

Andreas Wildhagen: drums

All music by Jon Rune Strøm (Tono)

Recorded by Christian Obermayer at Victoria, Nasjonal Jazzscene, March 2017 | Mixed by Obermayer at Strype Audio, Oslo, September 2017 | Mastered by Obermayer and Strøm at Strype Audio, Oslo, November 2017

Produced by Jon Rune Strøm | Co produced by Pedro Costa at Clean Feed | Design by Travassos | Picture by Petra Cvelbar | Painting by Jon Rune Strøm

Christian Meaas Svendsen – AVIN (NAKAMA RECORDS 2017)

Nakama Records proudly presents:

Christian Meaas Svendsen – AVIN

Avin is the new solo project of musician and bass player Christian Meaas Svendsen. The album consists of Norwegian lyrics in a traditional singer/songwriter-style wrapped in a somewhat challenging and unconventional format. The music is arranged for an 8-piece band consisting of some of Norway’s finest musicians.

Avin is a Kurd maiden name meaning love. Avin is also the name of Svendsen’s girlfriend. The central theme on the album is their unfinished love, and the texts and the music describe Svendsen’s feelings and reflections in the turbulent phases of the relationship. Loss, anger and despair are repeating themes, but amidst it all there is hope and a strange kind of underlying positivism. The music is inspired from early American contemporary music, modern nordic improvised music and different types folk songs. The result is a more meek version of the modern contemporary music, a slightly more strict version of improvised music and jazz, and a somewhat detached way of presenting conventional singer/songwriter material. It is creative music with some healthy resistance presented in an earnest, convincing and personal way.

Christian Meaas Svendsen - vocal, guitar

Vilde Alnæs - violin

Adrian Løseth Waade - viola

Kaja Fjellberg Pettersen - cello

Inga Aas - double bass

Henrik Munkeby Nørstebø - trombone

Espen Reinertsen - saxophone

Agnes Hvizdalek - vocal

Available on the 11th of May

CD // LP // digital download // streaming

Momentum. Just one word is enough to explain the philosophy of this trio coming from Norway. A musical manifestation of the phenomenon. In the beginning it is sparse, gradually building until it overflows with force, eventually descending into nothing. It’s spontaneous, intuitive, crude, raw and as potent and powerful as it is fleeting and ephemeral.

Each time Jørgen Mathisen, Christian Meaas Svendsen and Andreas Wildhagen play together is different from the previous one and the other following, changing with the circumstances, the states of mind at the time and the ambient of the performance. Only the urgency of the playing has a definitive character. Each gathering of the trio seems to be the last one. More: seems to be the only one ever. Mathisen, Svendsen and Wildhagen play as if they’ve never played before and as if they’re not going to play anymore. They dive in the music with a despoliation and an availability that astonish and snatch us all. These musicians are among the best in the North of Europe since the beginning of the years 2000, and some of the bands they founded or take part in belong now to history, like Shagma, The Core, Zanussi 5 and Mopti. Mathisen’s muscular saxophone style is already legendary, but better than that is his capacity to save detail and nuance from force.

Svendsen is an unavoidable bassist, reuniting old and new techniques (some of his own invention) from jazz and classical music. Wildhagen is capable of responding to any challenge, be it the maintenance of an abstract texture or the sudden design of a steady beat. The sum of all this sounds so good it seems impossible.

1. Gaining 3:59

2. Maintaining 5:34

3. Momentum 20:04

4. Snake Ballad 11:00

Jørgen Mathisen  soprano and tenor saxophone

Christian Meaas Svendsen  bass

Andreas Wildhagen  drums

Track B1 and B2 by CMS, track A1 and B3) by Momentum

Recorded by Hans Andreas Horntveth Jahnsen at Propeller Music Division, Oslo, October 1st 2015 | Mixed by Kyrre Laastad | Mastered by Christian Obermayer

Produced by Andreas Wildhagen | Executive production by Pedro Costa for Trem Azul | Design by Travassos | Photo by Morten Espeland