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Jon Rune Str?m: J?a

By Eyal Hareuveni
April 11, 2014
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Norwegian double bassist

Jon Rune Strøm

bass, acoustic
b.1985

" data-original-title="" title="">Jon Rune Str?m's energetic and highly rhythmic playing approach on the bull fiddle, sets him apart from other young fellow Norwegian double bass players who explore the solo medium or the sonic capabilities of this massive instrument in intimate settings as

Christian Meaas Svendsen

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Christian Meaas Svendsen,

Adrian Fiskum Myhr

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Adrian Fiskum Myhr, or Inga Margrete Aas. The 29 year old Str?m draws inspiration from free jazz pioneers such as the young

Gary Peacock

bass, acoustic
1935 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">Gary Peacock and free improvisation great

Frode Gjerstad

saxophone, alto
b.1948

" data-original-title="" title="">Frode Gjerstad, together with drummer

Paal Nilssen-Love

drums
b.1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Paal Nilssen-Love, Nilssen-Love Large Unit, and a collaboration with

Mats Gustafsson

woodwinds
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Mats Gustafsson's Nu Ensemble and like-minded outfits like

SAKA

" data-original-title="" title="">SAKA Trio, Universal Indians}},

All Included

" data-original-title="" title="">All Included and Friends & Neighbors.

Str?m's debut J?a, refers to his childhood home, an island in northwestern Norway, where he recorded the album. He applies his powerful and highly physical approach on nine free improvisations, each featuring a distinct temperament and aspect of his palette of sounds and inventive usage of extended techniques. He uses the bow as a means to extend and often to mess with, the rhythmic options of plucking the strings on "?lhammeren." On "Seierstad," and "Bragstad" he sounds as if he's negotiating with the big instrument, attempting to submit it to the desired rhythmic discourse. The urgent "Tone fra Tr?ndelag" features a masterful usage of the bow to create an alternating series of drones and overtones. His physical approach reaches its climax on the intense "Geisnes," "Bragstad" and especially on "Fosnes," where he brilliantly uses the bow. On these improvisations he wrestles head-on with the double bass, with his body, all over the double bass until he and the massive instrument reach a common ground.

Other improvisations as "Faksdal" and "Folla" feature Str?m as a sensitive and emotional improviser. He harnesses his inventive vocabulary and extended techniques in the service of structuring dramatic narratives with surprising subtle shifts in the story, emphasizing the double bass' evocative deep tones and coloring it with exotic percussive sounds. The last improvisation, the heartfelt "Dokk m? itj bannast," is dedicated to author Olav Duun, one of the outstanding writers in Norwegian literature, who was born on the island J?a.

Brilliant and masterful debut.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

?lhammeren; Seierstad; Tone fra Tr?ndelag; Geisnes; Faksdal; Folla; Bragstad; Fosnes; Dokk m? itj bannast (For Olav Duun).

Personnel

Jon Rune Str?m

bass, acoustic

Jon Rune Str?m: double bass.

Album information

Title: J?a | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: Stone Floor Records

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