His fans appreciate him for his sometimes velvety, sometimes smoky voice and the sonically excellent productions. Now his fifth album “Mystery Lady” is released on Ozella Music / Songways. Pete Alderton interprets classics and his own songs with verve and feeling and gives them his special touch with the acoustic guitar. "House Of The Rising Sun" sounds like the wild west and lonely travelers, bitter and hopeful at the same time. The classic "Cocaine Lil" is a cozy and almost cheeky title, while "The Dancer" has a romantic and dreamy effect. Fans of Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan get their money's worth on the album "Mystery Lady".

Mystery Lady

House Of The Rising Sun

Pete Alderton - House Of The Rising Sun

Piano, and slide guitar meet on eight hauntingly beautiful tracks of cinematic Scandinavian Americana.

Hummingbird

buy at Ozella Music

Helge Lien & Knut Hem - Dis

Soft tones from Asia celebrating the slowness of time.
With our best wishes and thoughts to the people of Japan.

Shunsuke Mizuno - Rain In The Distance

Improving a classic: Pete Alderton's Living on Love remastered

from the Ozella Music/Songways album Living on Love - remastered edition

Pete Alderton - Song For David

Improving a classic: Pete Alderton's Living on Love remastered

track from the Ozella Music/Songways album: Living On Love - remastered edition

Pete Alderton - (She Said That) Evil Was Her Name

Timeless-sensitive blend of Jazz, Classical, Pop and World Music, gently inviting the listener on an atmospheric journey.

Track from the Ozella album HJEMKLANG with

gjertrud lunde: voice
florian zenker: guitar | baritone guitar | electronics
wolfert brederode: piano | rhodes
bodek janke: drums | percussion | tabla
arve henriksen: trumpet

Gjertrud Lunde's debut album "Hjemklang" is an impressive collection of songs, gently inviting the listener on an atmospheric journey, sharing experiences and impressions of the distance travelled.
Her soulful compositions are skilfully wrapped with impressionist sound paintings, just as with groovy beats. Therewith, Gjertrud Lunde creates a musical cosmos, that exceeds artistic, stylistic and national boundaries in an effortless manner. Her timeless music is a sensitive blend of Jazz, Classical, Pop and World Music.



Gjertrud Lunde - Pilgrim

Explorers of the Norwegian jazz habitat: New creations from the piano trio
with the magic sound

Track from the brand-new Ozella Music album: Badgers And Other Beings
With:
Helge Lien: piano
Frode Berg: bass
Per Oddvar Johansen: drums

This album is a rare moment to cherish and enjoy every second of. Awarded Norwegian pianist Helge Lien and his band developed their very own, distinctively nordic, jazz trio sound, brought to perfection on their latest, highly acclaimed release “Natsukashii”. The ten new compositions are exploring new ways for the reflexive and experimental, as well as the playful, groove orientated side of the trio’s music. After 13 years, Per
Oddar Johansen takes over from Knut Aalefjær on drums, bringing new ideas and power to the band. It’s the world class songwriting and musicianship, as well as the stand-out production that make “Badgers and other Beings” an unmissable experience for both jazz fans and audiophiles.

Helge Lien Trio - Mor

Passion under the Microscope

Improvisation is at the heart of Jazz. It is also at the heart of Revisited in various surprising ways. After the departure of long-term band members Frode Berg (after Guzuguzu) and Per Oddvar Johansen (after 10), Helge Lien had to rethink and re-assemble his trio during the pandemic, while continuing to record and (virtually) perform – you could call it improvisation squared. In the act of rehearsing and playing, the new formation arrived at interpretations which felt like a look back and a fresh departure all at once: This is not a revolution, it's passion under the microscope.

Revisited is a hybrid of studio and concert recordings. Miraculously, however, you can't hear that. All tracks blend into a cohesive, 50-minute piece: There are no sounds from the audience and the studio takes feel as urgent as the live performances. After intimate sessions at the Toyen church in Oslo, which provided half the material, the musicians headed over to their gig at the Anjazz Festival in October 2020, of which five pieces are included here. As a result, Revisited is all about connections and contrasts: Between the old line-up and the new one; between different performance situations and different spaces.

Most of all, it documents the transition phase from one version of the group to the next. An essential reason why the process turned out to be successful is that only bassist Johannes Eick is an actual newcomer. Knut Aalefjær, on the other hand, was the very first drummer of the Helge Lien Trio in the early 2000s. On Revisited, it feels as though he's never been away: The elastic groove of “Gamut Warning” (off Hello Troll) has a liquid flow to it, allowing Lien to pour his glistening piano cascades on top. “Jasmine”, one of the key pieces of Guzuguzu, simmers on a twilight-pulse, going even deeper than the original and carefully expanding the dynamic palette.

These subtle maneuvers reflect Lien's current take on improvisation. Whereas, more than a decade ago, he would radically deconstruct a piece like Miles Davis's “So What”, his focus has shifted towards a dense, precisely synchronized group sound and hypnotic, quicksilvery piano runs. There is still no safety net, however. The art of improvisation always takes place at the edge of failure – no one knows this better than Helge Lien.

Revisited

Helge Lien Trio - Liten Jazzballong Revisited

Follow my beating heart
Home is where the heart is. And Hilde Louise Asbjørnsen's heart has always beaten for Swing. Accordingly, this project
with the KABA Orchestra, one of Europe's most exciting Swing bands, was not just another collaboration. It was a passion and an urge and as natural as breathing. These renditions of hand-picked songs from her catalogue aren't just “alternative versions” – this is the way they were always meant to be heard.
A Swing of its Own took Hilde Louise back to the beginning, to a time when she was falling in love with jazz and spinning her mother's old jazz records on a turntable. And yet, nostalgia is notably absent here. Of course, the era of Swing, which first swept the USA and then the rest of the world and created one of the biggest revolutions in the entire history of music, is long gone. The sheer energy and irresistible pull of this music, however, will never die. Bringing it back to the stage has been a prime concern for both Asbjørnsen and KABA's artistic founders Erik Eilertsen and Kristoffer Kompen. Their connection goes back to 2016, when they teamed up at the Oslo Jazz Festival. And it was refreshed in 2020 for another live gig, focused entirely on some of Asbjørnsen's greatest songs from her decades-spanning career. The latter is the one captured on this CD and it “gathers all the threads of inspiration through my years as a songwriter and jazz singer.”

If you know the “originals”, the effect is similar to watching the same movie on a TV screen versus seeing it in the cinema. And yet, the soul of these tunes, their intimacy and relatability, has remained intact. Which can easily be explained by the fact that her entire backing band, which accompanied her on her previous recordings and in concert, are also members of KABA – like a small energy cell within a larger organism. Nothing gets lost here, it just gets elevated to a higher level. Hilde Louise explains it best when she describes her feelings about the mesmerising title track: “I wrote it for our 2016 collaboration with KABA. It is a tribute to the beat of the city and the syncopated rhythm pulsating through everybody’s veins. On this album, I feel like it has found its place.”

The same goes for all the songs here which add up to a sweeping and yet personal performance. Hilde Louise's career has been a long and winding journey, but now, she feels, she has “finally come home”. And to those willing to open up to this music – your heart is sure to follow her to that place, too.

A Swing Of Its Own

Hilde Louise Asbjoernsen & Kaba Orchestra - My Best Pair

Undercurrents can be unpredictable and violent on occasion. This was certainly the case for Martti Vesala's new Soundpost album: "I really intended for the music to sound more Nordic, to give it a sense of calm, longing, and space," he recalls. "I'm drawing inspiration from more varied sources now." This ambition matches the emotional oscillations of the autobiographical Landmarks, written during a period of personal turmoil. Everyone in the band has grown, starting with Vesala who draws a lot from non-trumpet greats like John Coltrane. The Soundpost Quintet members, meanwhile, are gelling tighter than ever while simultaneously excelling as individual instrumentalists. Landmarks is a rollercoaster ride entirely his own – and easily Martti Vesala's biggest vision so far. Visions beyond Miles: Landmarks is Martti Vesala's Nordic album, a personal statement of great calm, longing, and space.

Landmarks

Martti Vesala & Soundpost Quintet - Wild Eyes

"While we wait for a brand new day" is the third part of The Oddgeir Berg Trio's trilogy around the dark hours of the day. The album was recorded under immense pressure. With only three days left before Norway went into a lockdown, the trio headed to the studio and finished the album in an intense session. Remarkably, the tone of these nine new originals is hopeful and upbeat. If previous Oddgeir Berg Trio albums made you think of ECM, the new one carves out a more personal sound. Berg remembers the process as one of careful touches: "To me, it feels like an evolving landscape. I have quite a few synths and effect pedals in my locker, but I try not to overdo things." In conceptual terms, this is where the circle closes – now, you can put on Before Dawn and simply continue listening.

While We Wait For A Brand New Day

Oddgeir Berg Trio - Happy Morning

Magne Thormodsæter is an ECM alumni, bassist, and in-demand session musician. On L'arte della persuasione, he fuses two worlds with the full force of a beautiful blow. A 35-minute story told in five acts, it pits a high-caliber classical ensemble against a jazz group. The result is captivatingly unclassifiable. Although Thormodsæter fully composed L'arte della persuasione, the score also provides the musicians with permissions to act spontaneously. The work will thus never sound the exact same way twice. This inner tension was amplified by the process: All musicians only saw the piece on the day of recording. “I honestly didn't know what would happen,” Thormodsæter admits, but the result ended up sounding entirely organic. Gradually, the players turned into creators themselves - making the piece “their own.”

L’arte della persuasione

Magne Thormodsæter - Inventio

The idea for the album came to Aarum after reading "Oslo originals" – a book about the fascinating residents from the Norwegian capital's history. Each track on the album, he decided, would paint a portrait of one of these personalities. Take “El Jucan”, a tribute to Einar Olsen, who walked the streets as a fakir, swallowed swords, flames, and glass and lay on a bed of nails.

In an inspiring twist of serendipity, the recording studio happened to be in the immediate vicinity of a mental hospital. This set the mood perfectly, as many of the personalities captured on the album battled with alcoholism and deteriorating psychological health.

The entire album, the first one by the current lineup of the trio after 15 years, was recorded in a single 1.5-hour short session. Thanks to this impressive achievement, the Anders Aarum trio are now originals as well. They, too, have now become part of the Oslo puzzle.

Oslo Puzzle

Anders Aarum Trio - Tune In, Drop Out!

Music is about singing, dancing, life, and death. These are the kinds of things I learned from my teacher and mentor, the incredible Ukrainian pianist Mikhail (Misha) Alperin. Misha turned my world upside down from the moment we met. I was 19 then, and he continued to have a huge influence on me ever since. We didn’t see each other very often in later years, but every time we did, I was filled with energy and inspiration. And in every meeting, he said at least one little thing that I would think about for months afterward, whether it was during a brief conversation in the academy hallway, or a two-hour monologue in his office. He was intense. He celebrated life and love. He was singing, dancing, and certainly living through his music. His death has left a void in our world that can never be filled, and he is sorely missed.

Funeral Dance

Helge Lien Trio & Tore Brunborg - Après Un Rêve

Anger is a destructive force. Especially now, in the news, we can witness its impact every single day. And yet it is an integral part of the human condition. On his new album for Ozella, Rain Sultanov is confronting anger by writing some of the most heavenly music of his career. Soprano saxophone, organ, cello - this unusual instrumentation is at the heart of these nine floating, deeply moving compositions. As such, Forgiveness is an extension of the palette of the 2018 release Cycle, which focused on the core duo of organ and saxophone. The lineup, however, as Sultanov stresses, is not what matters. What counts is using music as an instrument to transform our anger - and to offer it, others, and ourselves forgiveness.

Forgiveness

Rain Sultanov - Forgive Me

The island of Rolla is tiny and sparsely populated - a mere 900 people live here. On A Place Called Home, Oddgeir Berg takes us to this, his father's birthplace, for a concept album about the magic of nature, the spaces hidden in memory, and the bonds that family provides. The music was written with a new trio lineup and during a period of personal turmoil, including a cancer diagnosis for Berg's mother, and the worries which accompanied her treatment. As one would expect, the music feels intimate and pastoral, mostly slower-paced and introspective. But there are also moments of gentle exploration here as well as a beautiful bass solo by new member Audun Ramo. It is an invitation to a journey - to make any place your home.

A Place Called Home

Oddgeir Berg Trio - Where the Sun Never Sleeps

track from Aki Rissanen // Jussi Lehtonen Quartet with Dave Liebman: Pensativa (Dave Liebman)

Dave Liebman: tenor and soprano sax, wooden flute
Aki Rissanen: piano
Jori Huhtala: bass
Jussi Lehtonen: drums

Pensativa by Aki Rissanen // Jussi Lehtonen Quartet with Dave Liebman

track from the Ozella Music album Bassdetector by Jens Fossum

JENS FOSSUM: electric bass, double bass, cello, piccolo bass,
piccolino mini bass, roland midi bass, guitars, keys, drums, perc,
er-hu, pipa, mandolin
HÅVARD FOSSUM: alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax, clarinet,
flute BØRGE
ARE HALVORSEN: baritone sax
ANDERS AARUM: rhodes, keys
JØRN ØIEN: keys
IVAR THORMODSÆTHER: drums, percussion
TOR BJARNE BJELLAND: drums, percussion
HERMUND NYGÅRD: drums
HÅKON MJÅSET JOHANSEN: drums
MELVIN SMITH: trumpet BUD SMITH: trombone
Compositions
All compositions by JENS FOSSUM

Jens Fossum - Walter Freeman‘s Pick Of Choice

from the Ozella Music album Beauteous Tales and Offbeat Stories by Kari Ikonen Trio

Kari Ikonen: piano
Ara Yaralyan: double bass
Markku Ounaskari:  drums

“Beauteous Tales and Offbeat Stories”, das zweite Album des finnischen Kari Ikonen Trios lebt von der Magie der Kontraste. Der mehrfach preisgekrönte Pianist Kari Ikonen, sowie seine Mitmusiker Drummer Markku Ounaskari, Finnlands Jazzmusiker des Jahres, und der armenische Bassist Ara Yaralyan präsentieren neben vollendeten Eigenkompositionen, einem Bollywood-Schlager und einem armenischen Liebeslied auch mehrere freie Improvisationen, die spontan im Studio entstanden. Durch dieses Spiel mit dem Risiko schaffen sie es, ihre außergewöhnliche Dynamik und Kreativität mit viel Energie in Aufnahmen zu bannen.

Kari Ikonen Trio -  L'avant - midi d'une elfe

Having played an important part in the Norway jazz scene over the last 15 years, the Eiving Austad Trio now enters the international stage with their debut album “Moving”. It's the intrinsically American accent that distinguishes the Eivind Austad Trio from other ensembles of their generation. 
Eivind Austad is influenced by Gospel and R'n'B, his lyrical and narrative style reminds one of the likes of Keith Jarrett and Bill Evans. “Moving” is full of soul and will surely hit the blue note in every true jazz fan.

Eivind Austad Trio - Life on Mars

vocals, acoustic guitar, acoustic & electric guitars, bass, keys, percussion, background vocals 

Something Smooth

Pete Alderton - Something Smooth

On „Inspired by Nature - Seven Sounds of Azerbaijan“, internationally renowned saxophone player Rain Sultanov turns seven of his home country’s landscapes into pieces of music. On a preceding excursion he collected sounds and impressions, which he adds to his masterly compositions influenced by jazz and world music. This way he not only shows the many sides of Azerbaijan but also his own musical versatility and proves that music if often the best travel guide.

Inspired by Nature

The White Birds of Qizilagac

Rain Sultanov - The White Birds of Qizilagac

For „You“, their second album as a duo, Norwegian singer Live Maria Roggen and pianist Helge Lien have translated nine songs by Nordic folk, jazz and pop songwriters into English. Their congenial reinterpretations are an enrichment to all that value good song writing and put Live & Lien amongst the most important Scandinavian musicians of today.


Maria Roggen & Helge Lien - Dynamite

Stunning debut album by three of Norway's most in-demand session musicians. Atmospheric, yet tight trio compositions between Herbie Hancock and EST.

Before Dawn

Oddgeir Berg Trio - Here Comes The Toughest

Piano, dobro and slide guitar meet on eight hauntingly beautiful tracks of cinematic Scandinavian Americana.

Helge Lien | Knut Hem - Take Another Five

BBC New Generation Artist Tom Arthurs' new trio. An intensely quiet trip inspired by Tarkovsky movies, Feldman's long works and essentialist jazz.

One Year

Tom Arthurs - Liepnitz In Ruhe

A traditional guitar trio, a magical, free-floating sound: Inwardness are setting the controls for the spaces between the notes.

SPACE JAZZ

Inwardness, Space Jazz - I Morning

Three instruments: Organ, piano & saxophone. Azerbaijan's two leading jazz performers. One intense, light flooded energy space. No limits.

Cycle

Rain Sultanov & Isfar Sarabski - Prelude

A delirious trip through the night: Cinematic sounds and bittersweet harmonies meet the ghost of Jimi Hendrix.

In The End Of The Night

Oddgeir Berg Trio - In The End Of The Night

album credits:

Jeanette Hubert
Vocals, Acoustic Guitars

Malte Weberruß
Guitars, Keys, E-Bass, Percussion, Backing Vocals

Simon Bauer
Doublebass

Catrien Stremme
Drums on 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11

Nicolai Ziel
Drums on 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 

A track from her debut album ON THE RUN

Ozella Music Songways SW510CD

Jeanette Hubert - Always Perfect

From the Ozella Lounge EP Josete Ordoñez  - Piedras y Rosas released by Ozella Music.
A remix of Josete's wonderful HANOY by Nacho Sotomayor.
Album: POR EL MAR (ozella oz023cd)


Josete Ordonez - Hanoi (Nacho Sotomayor RMX)

A spiritual quest by the leader of "Jazzerbaijan": Seven epic dedications – from Miles and Coltrane to Zawinul and Pastorius.

Influence

My John C

Rain Sultanov - My John C.

"This music stands on its own." 
Frank Forest, Musical Starstreams 

 "Bohm is among a select few imaginative acoustic guitarists in Jazz. Bohm’s work constantly is relaxed, picturesque filled with dreamy images." 
Merrill C. Lehrer, USA Today

Dagobert Böhm - The Sea

Track from the upcoming Ozella Lounge Album: 
Josete Ordoñez - POR EL MAR – revisitado
incl. Remixes by Ganga, Softwaver, Blank & Jones, Chris Zippel, Stardelay, Deep Dive Corp.,Nacho Sotomayor et al 



Josete Ordoñez - Isla Maria (Deep Dive Corp. Rmx.)

track from the upcoming Ozella Music/Songways album
Roadside Preaching
Down to earth Blues that tells a story

Pete Alderton: Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Blues Harp
Christof Rosikon: Acoustic & Electric Guitar, Bass, Mandolin
Thommy Heinecke: Mandolin, Accordion
Ella Raven: Vocals on 3, 6, 7




Pete Alderton - My Sweet Valentina

from the Ozella Music album Impressions, Improvisations and
Compositions by Kari Ikonen.
International release: 08.01.2021

In August of 2019, Kari Ikonen found himself with a month of free time. Spontaneously, he recorded a full album at his home. His only companion: His beloved Steinway. 
The influence of painter Wassily Kandinsky inspired Ikonen to write some of his most monumental pieces. To be able to play the Arabic modi he had in mind, he invented the "Maqiano", a small device expanding the interval range of the piano.
And so, what could have turned into just another solo piano album ended up a symphonic experience.

Impressions

Maqtu'ah on Maqam Rast

Ozella Music Shop

Kari Ikonen - Maqtu'ah on Maqam Rast

piano stefan aeby
bass andré pousaz
drums julian sartorius

from the upcoming Ozella Music album Utopia (september 2013)



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