Sandvika Storband - Live at Bærum Kulturhus (2005/2019)

Each Monday evening, a little miracle occurs by the banks of the Sandvika river just outside Oslo: 18 people, each from different backgrounds and professions, come together out of love for the same music - and practise it to a highly advanced level of artistry. The combination of professional musicians, students and talented amateurs, playing side by side, together with the band’s frequent collaborations with leading international stars from the firmament of jazz, has made Sandvika Big Band a considerable greenhouse within the Norwegian jazz scene.

During the 35 years of its history, Sandvika Big Band’s musical direction has varied between what is referred to as "classic, modern, big band swing", and contemporary music. The band's live Oslo Concert House recording from 1980 is an example of the former style, followed by “Sister, You Ain’t Had The Blues” (1983), “Come Rain or Come Shine” (1989), “Greenhouse” (1996), and “Lining Up” (1999). Conversely, recordings featuring music by Kjell Samkopf and Terje Rypdal in 1987 and 1991 broke new musical ground. The band’s music, in both cases, has reached far and wide - and well beyond Norway’s national boundaries.

This recording unites, for the first time, these two directions on one CD. New Norwegian compositions have been chosen that are also firmly anchored in the swinging, “classic”, big band style. The band’s former guitarist Frode Kjekstad has also returned to deliver a top-notch performance, in good Sandvika Big Band tradition: where those who learnt their trade here return to share their experiences with the next generation. The current musical director, Frank Brodahl, is another member whose links to Sandvika Big Band stretch back over many years.

Let “Live at Bærum Kulturhus” stand as a tribute to all those musicians who are, or have been, linked in some way to the greenhouse that is Sandvika Big Band.

Tracklist:

01. Midnight State Of Mind
02. Dorian Craze
03. Brooklyn Bound
04. Autumn In Rome
05. Rafa Blues
06. Moon Song
07. Funky Fingers
08. The Nightcup Suite- After Hours
09. The Nightcup Suite- Hours After
10. The Nightcup Suite- The Nightcup Shuffle