Torben Snekkestad — Conic Folded

The Norwegian jazz scene since very long has proven to be one to be reckoned with as well as being a typical addition to the worldwide jazz canon. Conic Folded by saxophoneplayer Torben Snekkestad is yet another record to confirm this.

After collaborations, as well as still starting new projects with many musicians from the nordic jazz scene (Maja Ratkje, Trygve Seim and Thomas Strønen, to name a few), Snekkestad formed a trio as a tip to the hat to the famous jazztrio of the sixties of Jimmy Guiffre with Steve Swallow and Paul Bley. He finds himself accompanied by fellow Norwegian Jon Balke on piano and Danish bass player Jonas Westergaard. The ages of trio's members (Snekkestad and Westergaard born in the seventies and Balke in 1955) already hint at the mix of old and new. The three have no problem to find eachother and as a listener it's not difficult to tag along in the eleven tracks that wander from lyrical and pensive late-night jazz from a smoky bar to more abstract honks and squeeks from artier, 'no smoking' territories.

Conic Folded is a record firmly rooted in the jazz tradition but without sounding overtly old-fashioned. With abstract free-jazz being anything but modern looking back a little bit further can even become refreshing. Torben Snekkestad offers such a refreshment.