Christian Wallumrod - Outstairs (2013) [Official Digital Download]

The ensemble of Christian Wallumrod continues to evolve in its own idiosyncratic way on "Outstairs". By now, Wallumrods compositional signature is instantly recognizable. Nobody else writes pieces like this multi-dimensional chamber music inspired by the sonorities of Norwegian folk and church music, influenced by early music and the post-Cage avant-garde, and liberated by jazzs freedom of thought. This time around, the ensemble members share the arranging credits between them, making the music still more organic and flexible as new sound combinations emerge.

The ECM label hosts plenty of artists who blend idioms and make big impacts without raising their voices, but one of the most captivating is Norwegian pianist, composer and harmonium-player Christian Wallumrød (brother of Susanna, of Magical Orchestra fame). He's an adaptable original who plays free-improv in other incarnations but joins Norwegian folk, early church music and the 20th-century classical and jazz avant gardes in this regular six-piece group, which includes sax, hardanger fiddle and cello, and trumpet. The sonics on Outstairs are classic Wallumrød, but the music sounds both freer and more playful than formerly. Stille Rock is simply a pulsating shift between two piano chords, before a hint of percussion appears, then strings, intensifying drumming – and sudden wrongfooting silences just as resolutions seem inevitable. Bunadsbangla is a deliciously slinky folk-dance, Tridili No 2 a meander of low strings sounds and sudden startled recoils and the title track is a hop and skip of strings and treble keys turning to long, sliding sounds and musical-saw whirrs. It's old, new, manic and tranquil in seamless concordance.

Tracklist:

01 - Stille Rock
02 - Bunadsbangla
03 - Tridili #2
04 - Very Slow
05 - Startic
06 - Beatknit
07 - Folkskiss
08 - Third Try
09 - Ornament
10 - Outstairs
11 - Exp

Produced Manfred Eicher. Engineered by Markus Heiland.
Recorded in May 2012 at Auditorio Radiotelevisione svizzera, Lugano.

Musicians:
Christian Wallumrød - piano, harmonium, toy piano
Eivind Lønning - trumpet
Gjermund Larsen - violin, hardanger fiddle, viola
Espen Reinertsen - tenor saxophone
Tove Törngren - cello
Per Oddvar Johansen - drums, vibraphone


Thanks to the Original customer!