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The Core: Roots

By Mark Corroto
May 6, 2024
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It has been over a decade since a release from the Norwegian jazz band

The Core

" data-original-title="" title="">The Core. Founded in 2001, the quartet released half a dozen albums before mostly going their separate ways. Saxophonist

Kjetil Møster

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Kjetil M?ster worked with

Gard Nilssen

drums
b.1983

" data-original-title="" title="">Gard Nilssen,

Mats Gustafsson

woodwinds
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Mats Gustafsson, and

Per Zanussi

bass, acoustic
b.1977

" data-original-title="" title="">Per Zanussi, pianist

Erlend Slettevoll

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Erlend Slettevoll with Hedvig Mollestad and

Petter Wettre

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Petter Wettre, bassist

Steinar Raknes

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Steinar Raknes with

Tord Gustavsen

piano
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Tord Gustavsen, and drummer

Espen Aalberg

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Espen Aalberg in the Basement Sessions with

Jonas Kullhammar

saxophone
b.1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Jonas Kullhammar and

" data-original-title="" title="">Torbjorn Zetterberg.

Roots, the ensemble's ninth recording, follows Party (Moserobie, 2010) and is a great argument for the whole being much more than the sum of its parts. The quartet's music is focused on the '60s explorations of the new thing in jazz., not as repertory music, although they did once cover

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane's Meditations (Impulse!, 1966) with the Bergen Big Band, but as inspiration. A better word might be respiration. The quartet seems to breathe in and, importantly, exhale the spirit of Coltrane's 1960's quartet.

Coltrane and his successors are apparent with the gong strikes which open "Dark Star." The quartet steamrolls into that familiar groove which fans of Trane's quartet desire. M?ster's tenor saxophone is thrust forward by some

Elvin Jones

drums
1927 - 2004

" data-original-title="" title="">Elvin Jones-like drumming and heavy

McCoy Tyner

piano
1938 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">McCoy Tyner inspired piano chords. The music penned by M?ster, Raknes, and Aalberg would certainly please Coltrane and company. Riding on Raknes' bass line, M?ster switches to soprano saxophone for "Orbis," as "My Favorite Things" comes to mind. The quartet transmits a spiritual

Pharoah Sanders

saxophone, tenor
1940 - 2022

" data-original-title="" title="">Pharoah Sanders vibe with "Messi," delivering a seven-minute message which one could imagine lasting an entire hour in a live setting. The same is true of the brief storm that is "Chains," which, like all the music here, begs for a double length live recording.

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Track Listing

Dark Star; The Root; Messi; Opak; Orbis; Chains.

Personnel

The Core

Kjetil M?ster

saxophone, tenor

Erlend Slettevoll

piano

Steinar Raknes

bass

Espen Aalberg

drums

Additional Instrumentation

Kjetil M?ster: soprano saxophone

Album information

Title: Roots | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Moserobie

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