Espen Eriksen – piano and compositions
Lars Tormod Jenset – double bass
Andreas Bye – drums
Andy Sheppard – tenor saxophone
–Masters of melody from Norway with British jazz star
After six full houses in England last autumn, culminating in two gigs at London Jazz Festival 2019 broadcasted by BBC Radio 3’s ”Jazz Now”, Espen Eriksen Trio with Andy Sheppard are finally back in town.
Espen Eriksen Trio was formed in 2007 and have released four records. The trio’s music relies on highly melodic and lyrical instrumentals and a “less is more” approach and is often credited for its unique voice within today’s jazz scene by the international press. To quote BBC “A wonderfully plaintive jazz record, abandoned to the lost art of melodic minimalism, stripped back and beautifully near bare. No smoke and mirrors, just the graceful chemistry of superb musicians at the top of their game”
With a career spanning over four decades, working together with the likes of George
Russell, Gil Evans and Carla Bley, Andy Sheppard is truly one of Europe’s leading saxophonists. He’s also one of the few players in the world that can juggle a European lyrical sensibility with hardcore American post-bop jazz chops – and also knows how to portion it out.
Their collaboration started in 2016 and has resulted in last year’s critically acclaimed record “Perfectly Unhappy” and extensive touring in Europe and Asia. Together they’ve created a new common idiom, which will speak to followers of Eriksen’s and Sheppard’s work alike. Their fresh approach to the music will both please and surprise the listener, as it weaves its path through enchanting melodies and lyrical improvisation, sitting perfectly within Eriksen’s and Sheppard’s long-lasting tradition.
“The symbiosis between the saxophonist and the trio is truly remarkable.”
– All About Jazz
”This music is simply too beautiful, so one needs to hear and feel it to understand. It’s the way it touches and comforts your mind, more than simply what it sounds like.”
– Hi Fi Critic