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Gard Nilssen Acoustic Unity: Elastic Wave

By Chris May
July 1, 2022
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Gard Nilssen Acoustic Unity: Elastic Wave

The last time we heard from Norwegian drummer Gard Nilssen as a leader was with his Supersonic Orchestra—a three-drummer, three-bassist behemoth whose 2020 album, If You Listen Carefully The Music Is Yours (Odin), proved that, contrary to the precedent set by

Stan Kenton

piano
1911 - 1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Stan Kenton, it is possible to assemble a big band packing Death Star-level ordnance which nevertheless allows for subtlety, agility and humanity.

Extraordinarily prolific, Nilssen has since 2007 recorded over seventy albums, a fair few of them as leader or co-leader. A handful have been made with big bands: three with the

Trondheim Jazz Orchestra

band / ensemble / orchestra
b.2000

" data-original-title="" title="">Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, one with Zanussi Thirteen, one with Supersonic. But mostly, Nilssen has recorded with small groups, such as his trios Bushman's Revenge, Amgala Temple and Acoustic Unity.

Nilssen formed Acoustic Unity with fellow Norwegian, reed player

Andre Roligheten

saxophone
b.1985

" data-original-title="" title="">Andre Roligheten and Swedish bassist

Petter Eldh

bass
b.1983

" data-original-title="" title="">Petter Eldh in 2014, and the group debuted the following year with Firehouse (Clean Feed). Its third album, To Whom Who Buys A Record (Odin), was released to international acclaim in 2019.

The pandemic seems scarcely to have caused Nilssen to skip a beat and in summer 2022 he returns with Acoustic Unity's fourth album, Elastic Wave, recorded in 2021. The founding lineup, all of whom were part of the aforementioned If You Listen Carefully The Music Is Yours, which Nilssen composed and arranged in partnership with Roligheten, still stands. And what a joy it continues to be. All three members compose, and the all-originals Elastic Wave moves seamlessly between pastoral, vaguely folkloric material, jumpy free-improv, ruminative balladeering, and tenor saxophone-led romping which evokes memories of

Sonny Rollins

saxophone
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Sonny Rollins' late-1950s' trios.

Roligheten, with whom the force most certainly also resides, is mainly heard on tenor, but also plays soprano and bass saxophones and clarinet, and, on one track, tenor and soprano simultaneously in the manner of

Rahsaan Roland Kirk

woodwinds
1935 - 1977

" data-original-title="" title="">Rahsaan Roland Kirk. It all stacks up to a great album.

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Track Listing

Altaret; Spending Time With Ludvig; Dreignau; Influx Delight; Lokket til Jon, og skjerfet til Paul; The Other Village; Boogie; Cercle 85; Acoustic Dance Music; Til Liv; The Room Next To Her.

Personnel

Gard Nilssen

drums

Andre Roligheten

saxophone

Petter Eldh

bass

Additional Instrumentation

André Roligheten: tenor, soprano and bass saxophones, clarinet.

Album information

Title: Elastic Wave | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: ECM Records

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