Elastic Wave

Gard Nilssen Acoustic Unity

EN / DE
Drummer Gard Nilssen’s ECM leader debut follows acclaimed recordings for the label with the Maciej Obara Quartet and with Mathias Eick. Elastic Wave presents Nilssen’s powerful trio with fellow Norwegian André Roligheten on reeds and Swedish bassist Petter Eldh. The group’s dynamic interaction, dancing sense of pulse and boldly etched themes – all three players contribute compositions – make Acoustic Unity one of the most engaging bands on the circuit today, able to address fiery anthems and poignant ballads with equal panache and conviction.  Elastic Wave was recorded at Studios La Buissonne in the South of France in June 2021.
Das Debüt des Schlagzeugers Gard Nilssen bei ECM erscheint, nachdem er bei hoch geschätzten Aufnahmen mit dem Maciej Obara Quartet und mit Mathias Eick mitgewirkt hat. Elastic Wave präsentiert Nilssens kraftvolles Trio mit seinem norwegischen Kollegen André Roligheten am Saxophon und dem schwedischen Bassisten Petter Eldh (kürzlich mit Kit Downes zu hören). Das dynamische Zusammenspiel der Gruppe, ihr tanzbarer Puls und ihre markanten Themen – alle drei Spieler steuern Kompositionen bei – machen Acoustic Unity zu einer der interessantesten Bands der heutigen Szene. Das Trio interpretiert aufwühlende Hymnen und dezente Balladen mit dem gleichen Maß an Elan und Überzeugung. Elastic Wave wurde im Juni 2021 in den Studios La Buissonne in Südfrankreich aufgenommen.
Featured Artists Recorded

June 2021, Studios La Buissonne, Pernes les Fontaines

Original Release Date

15.07.2022

  • 1Altaret
    (Petter Eldh)
    03:52
  • 2Spending Time With Ludvig
    (Gard Nilssen)
    04:04
  • 3Dreignau
    (Petter Eldh)
    03:14
  • 4Influx Delight
    (André Roligheten, Gard Nilssen)
    04:50
  • 5Lokket til Jon, og skjerfet til Paul
    (Gard Nilssen)
    04:26
  • 6The Other Village
    (André Roligheten)
    03:30
  • 7Boogie
    (Gard Nilssen)
    04:58
  • 8Cercle 85
    (André Roligheten)
    02:43
  • 9Acoustic Dance Music
    (André Roligheten, Gard Nilssen)
    04:08
  • 10Til Liv
    (André Roligheten)
    03:50
  • 11The Room Next To Her
    (Gard Nilssen)
    04:55
Gard Nilssen is one of Europe’s most creative improvising drummers, with a fresh approach to rhythm and freedom. ‘Elastic Wave’ presents the Norwegian’s powerhouse trio, Acoustic Unity. With André Roligheten on tenor, soprano and bass saxophones and clarinet, and Petter Eldh on double bass, the dynamic interaction, swinging sense of pulse and boldly etched themes are defining attributes of a group that perform with panache and conviction, forging a clear identity along the way. […] Nilssen, Roligheten and Eldh are at the top of their game here. All three musicians share compositional duties on the album, and you’d be hard pushed to pinpoint who wrote which tunes as the balance, harmony and interaction within this trio is totally unified. For me, this how a trio should work. The skill with which they perform is mesmerising.
Mike Gates, UK Vibe
 
Im Juni 2021 in den Studios La Buissonne in Südfrankreich aufgenommen, besticht das ECM-Debüt des norwegischen Schlagzeugers Gard Nilssen als Bandleader mit einer heiteren, teilweise geradezu ausgelassenen Spielfreude. Ob dekonstruierte Hymne (‘Influx Delight’) oder Superzeitlupenballade (‘Lokket til Jon, og skjerfet til Paul’), Nilssens Acoustic Unity mit André Roligheten am Tenor-, Sopran- und Basssaxofon sowie an der Klarinette und Petter Eldh am Bass überzeugt auf ganzer Linie. Alle haben Kompositionen beigesteuert, mit jeder folgt das Trio einer distinkten Idee, während seine Mitglieder gleichzeitig maximale Freiheit zu genießen scheinen. […] Die Gedanken dieses Albums reichen anderen für ein gesamtes Lebenswerk aus. Und doch wirkt ‘Elastic Wave’  auf un(an)greifbare Weise geschlossen: ein Kaleidoskop der Kontingenz.
Harry Schmidt, Jazzthetik
 
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’ 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. It all stacks up to a great album.
Chris May, All About Jazz
 
The fourth album of Norwegian drummer Gard Nilssen’s Acoustic Unity, the first on ECM Records, doesn’t low the bar set on previous recordings, displaying a well-oiled trio with as much lyricism as rhythmic inventiveness. As habitually happens, multi-reedist André Roligheten and bassist Petter Eldh are in tune with Nilssen’s vision, and the eleven compositions on ‘Elastic Wave’ succeed one another with tapestries littered with dizzying propulsion and soulfully intoned melodies. […] Daringly outlined and yet expansive and open, this new collection of compositions shows the ability of three highly articulated speakers to create with equal parts inspiration, responsiveness, and artistry.
Filipe Freitas, Jazztrail
 
It’s been three years since we’ve heard from Gard Nilssen Acoustic Unity, Nilssen’s sublime trio with reedist André Roligheten and bassist Petter Eldh that extends the vaunted tradition of the instrumental format as well as any working band on the planet. On the group’s first album for ECM the heat’s been turned down a bit without sacrificing agility and freedom. The new tunes reveal a group that’s continually been stretching out over the years; putting a collective spin on Scandinavian folk — even if it’s imaginary — balancing a simultaneous focus on melodic elucidation and structural ingenuity (as with the heavily composed drum part in ‘Dreignau’), or exalting in the pleasures of Ornette Coleman in 2022 (Roligheten’s churning ‘Influx Delight’). […] The trio achieves something different with every piece. They’ve hardly played together over the last few years for obvious reasons, and if they sound this sharp it scares me to think where they could go next.
Peter Margasak, The Quietus
 
The fourth album of Norwegian drummer Gard Nilssen’s Acoustic Unity, the first on the ECM Records, doesn’t low the bar set on previous recordings, displaying a well-oiled trio with as much lyricism as rhythmic inventiveness. As habitually happens, multi-reedist André Roligheten and bassist Petter Eldh are in tune with Nilssen’s vision, and the eleven compositions on ‘Elastic Wave’ succeed one another with tapestries littered with dizzying propulsion and soulfully intoned melodies.
Filipe Freitas, Jazz Trail
 
Auf ‘Elastic Wave’ ist fast alles zu hören, was Gard Nilssen als Schlagzeuger ausmacht: diese Mischung aus Feinsinn und Brutalität, dieser Wechsel zwischen gleichmäßigem Puls und Extrasystolen, dieses Hin und Her zwischen Attacke und Rückzug, dieser Sinn für alles, was der Musik dient. In den kompakt gehaltenen, relativ kurzen Stücken des Albums passiert so viel – auch, weil der Saxofonist und Klarinettist André Roligheten und der kürzlich erst mit dem SWR2 Jazzpreis ausgezeichnete schwedische Bassist Petter Eldh ähnliche musikalische Vorstellungen haben wie ihr Bandleader und fast auf telepathische Weise mit ihm kommunizieren.
Ssirus W. Pakzad, Abendzeitung
 
An solistischer Energie mangelt es diesem Trio nicht. Im Gegenteil, die musikalischen Speicher scheinen sich trotz weit geöffneter Schleusen fortwährend zu regenerieren. Und dies, selbst wenn sich  – wie beim geselligen ‘Spending Time with Ludvig’ – improvisatorisch mehr entlädt als sonst auf ganzen Jazzalben. Kraftvoll wirkt der Sound auch bei vergleichsweise langsameren Stücken, wie bei der bedächtigen Ausdeutung eine Sternbilds am Südhimmel (‘Altaret’). […] Der Spielfluss, die rege Mitteilsamkeit über Mitgebrachtes vermitteln Begeisterung […] Der gewinnende Ensemblename Acoustic Unity ist nicht bloss Behauptung, sondern adäquate Formulierung der gemeinsamen Sache. Orrnette Colemans Spirit scheint omnipräsent.  
Wolfgang Gratzer, Jazzpodium
 
What makes this release so attractive is twofold. Firstly, the interaction between the musicians is a joy to behold, and this in turn leads to the diversity of the material that is presented. The trio are able to write across a broad spectrum, always having something interesting to say, and always as a unified collective. This diversity manifests itself organically, and never for the sake of mixing things up a little. Whether contemplative as heard on the deliciously paced and lyrical ‘Cercle 85’ and ‘Altaret’ or whooping it up on ‘The Other Vilage’ with Roligheten playing tenor and soprano simultaneously, the music is inextricably bound up with influences of each member of the group in a homogeneous manner. It doesn’t hurt the trio’s cause either that André Roligheten is a more than adept multi-instrumentalist, as in addition to his forthright tenor playing on ‘Boogie’ and the Ornette Coleman influenced ‘Acoustic Dance Music’ and ‘Influx Delight’ he can be heard clarinet on ‘Dreignau’ that provides interesting motifs for bassist Eldh and Nilssen to weave contrapuntal lines across and between in a fascinating dialogue. […] The freedom within clearly defined compositions is a constant factor throughout this strong set, and how the three musicians work togther is a source of delight in an intriguing and most enjoyable album.
Nick Lea, Jazz Views
 
Et on sent cette maîtrise tout au long de cet ‘Elastic Wave’ enflammé, tout en improvisations contrôlées, attisé par les sorties d’un saxophoniste pyromane, André Roligheten […] et les contre-feux d’un contrebassste suédois (Petter Eldh), Assurant avec sang-froid la sécurité.
P. B.., Rolling Stone (French Edition)
 
Der Titel ‘Elastic Wave’ ist die passende Beschreibung für diese Musik, die von einer spontanen Verspieltheit und Unbekümmertheit geprägt ist. Nichts ist abgeschlossen, alles wird gedehnt, verformt und neu gedacht. Was nur gelingt, weil das Trio derart blind aufeinander abgestimmt ist, dass selbst versteckteste Ideen sofort aufgegriffen und realisiert werden. […] Was verkopft klingt, ist bei allem technischen Anspruch erstaunlich leichtfüßig. Ein echtes Highlight!
Sebastian Meißner, Sounds and Books
 
Die drei erweisen sich auf ‘Elastic Wave’ erneut als europäisches Spitzenensemble. Sie überzeugen durch eigene Kompositionen, blühende Improvisationen sowie ein kraftvolles Spiel voller Inspiration und Temperament.
Georg Waßmuth, Südwestrundfunk
Gard Nilssen is one of Europe’s most creative improvising drummers, with a fresh approach to rhythm and freedom. On ECM, he has appeared on acclaimed recordings with the Maciej Obara Quartet (Unloved, Three Crowns). Now Elastic Wave presents the Norwegian musician’s powerhouse trio, Acoustic Unity. Dynamic interaction, a swinging sense of pulse and boldly etched themes – all three players contribute compositions – are among the defining attributes of a group that addresses fiery anthems and poignant ballads with panache and conviction.
 
The group’s stylistic flexibility is rooted in shared experience. Nilssen and saxophonist/clarinettist André Roligheten grew up together in their hometown of Skien in Norway’s Telemark region. In 2005 they encountered Swedish bassist Petter Eldh inside a “Nordic large ensemble for young musicians” directed by Django Bates, and found an immediate rapport. In 2014, after diverse collaborations, Nilssen, Roligheten and Eldh came together as a trio, and have since toured widely. Elastic Wave is the trio’s fourth album, following releases on Clean Feed and Odin.
 
Many influences flow into their music. André Roligheten’s early role models included Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane and Archie Shepp, but his big sound draws inspiration from multiple sources. “The Other Village”, for instance, on which Roligheten plays tenor and soprano saxophones simultaneously, takes its impetus from a memory of the skirling of Mediterranean bagpipes. “Influx Delight” has a lithe, dancing Ornette-on-tenor bounce to it, but moves over a rhythmic feeling with elements of Brazilian samba, or in Gard’s view, “the way Charlie Haden and Paul Motian play Latin music.” This broad view of modern jazz history is characteristic for the trio. On “The Room Next To Her”, Roligheten plays the bass saxophone with a ritualistic power, while “Dreignau” features his elegant clarinet playing.
 
Bassist Petter Eldh has been heard on ECM in contexts including Django Bates’s trio Belovèd (The Study of Touch, 2016). A musician of omnivorous musical taste, channelling idioms from bebop to hiphop to free improvising, Eldh recently received the SWR Jazz Prize 2022, the jury praising his “energetic and empathetic double bass playing”, attributes evident throughout Elastic Wave. The album opens with Eldh’s tune “Altaret” – its title, meaning “the altar” in Swedish, references the view in Gard’s Oslo practice room, adorned with a portrait of Coltrane. It’s a freely contrapuntal piece opening the door on the trio’s concept of independence and togetherness in the improvising.
 
Gard has cited the impact of hearing Tony Williams. Elvin Jones, Ed Blackwell, Roy Haynes, and Jack DeJohnette as formative for his individualistic drum style. But he has also been touched by Jon Christensen’s waves-of-sound approach to jazz drumming. To underline the drum traditions of ECM he brought one of Christensen’s cymbals with him to the Elastic Wave session, integrating it into the total sound of his kit as a second ride cymbal. Nilssen’s tune “Lokket til Jon, og skjerfet til Paul” also alludes to a scarf once left at the La Buissonne studio by Paul Motian, used here to take the edge off the bass drum’s ringing overtones.
 
Some other titular allusions: the happy-go-lucky and confident “Spending Time with Ludvig” is for Gard’s young son, and the pretty ballad “Til Liv” for André’s daughter. “Acoustic Dance Music”, which also has a Colemanesque full-throttle feeling, is titled by Nilssen as a small protest against the encroaching world of electronic dance music, whose ponderous machine beat he views as the death-knell for creativity; in contrast, Acoustic Unity proposes its malleable, lively sense of drive.
 
 Elastic Wave is issued in time for appearances at this year’s Jazzfestival Saalfelden, where Gard Nilssen is artist-in-residence, appearing with Acoustic Unity and with his large ensemble the Supersonic Orchestra (which also has the trio at its core, and its material arranged by Nilssen and Roligheten) and other formations. This autumn will see touring by both the large and small groups.
 
Meanwhile, the word continues to spread, beyond Europe’s borders. “Ask me to name a killer working band that most American jazz listeners still don’t know,” wrote Nate Chinen on his WBGO blog, “and there’s a good chance I’d land on Gard Nilssen Acoustic Unity. Based in Oslo and led by Nilssen, an excellent drummer on that scene, it’s an acoustic trio that can veer from abstract expressionism to hard, barrelling swing.” These qualities are much in evidence on the present recording.
 
Elastic Wave was recorded at Studios La Buisssonne in Pernes-les-Fontaines the South of France in June 2021. Further ECM recordings with Gard Nilssen are in preparation.
 
More information: www.gardnilssen.com
YouTube

By loading the video, you agree to YouTube's privacy policy.
Learn more

Load video