Editor's Info:
At the time this presented both a new group and platform for Frode, who dedicated the music to his deceased former partner, John Stevens. To quote from the liner notes, “Few sax men alive give the saxophone a workout like Frode Gjerstad. Not just a hell-bent for leather workout, but an excursion with purpose and logic to complement its power and lunge.”.
www.allmusic.com, rating: * * * * 1/2:
This is saxophonist Frode Gjerstad's eighth recording for the important Cadence Jazz Records label and its sister company, CIMP, and it documents the talented saxophonist's first all-Norwegian trio. Through the years, Gjerstad has catapulted himself to the top echelons of the world of free improvisation through his powerful, untiring, and relentless blowing and his disciplined technique. He continues that approach here, and if little new light is shed, there is nonetheless a consistent quality to the performance that continues to characterize his work. The three long-blowing pieces feature Gjerstad on alto sax and clarinet; each of these tracks offers slightly different nuances, with the clarinet somewhat less intense than the alto. Gjerstad's alto wails mournfully and then charges forth with unmitigated electricity. Unlike some others in this genre, Gjerstad is comfortable performing very intensely and dramatically at low volume, even in the upper registers. To their credit, bassist Oyvind Storsund and drummer Paal Nilsen-Love hold their own, as evidenced, for example, by their ability to shift gears on "Part Two," with highly appropriate interaction on the introspective passages. While this recording is hardly indispensable Gjerstad, it is still worthy of his mantle and it will not disappoint his growing band of admirers.
by Steve Loewy