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Written in fRoots issue 191, 1999
 

BUKKENE BRUSE
Steinstolen
Heilo/Grappa HCD 7145 (1998)

KARL SEGLEM
Spir
NOR-CD 9830 (1998)

For its third album the Norwegian “super-trio” Bukkene Bruse, originally put together for the Lillehammer Winter Olympics, comprising Annbjørg Lien, Arve Moen Bergset and Steinar Ofsdal, has expanded to a quartet with the addition of Bjørn Ole Rasch. His keyboards underpin Lien and Bergset’s fiddles and Ofsdal’s flutes in a sound that’s more orchestral than before, but which never loses the open, airy natural harmonic scale feel that’s so all-pervading in Norwegian traditional music, nor the rhythmic subtlety and spring of the dance tunes.
      Main singer Bergset’s solo career, from leading boy soprano/alto in the 80s to his current leading tenor status, has throughout involved singing both traditional and religious music. These two categories are closely connected in Norway, and some foreign listeners accustomed to avoiding churchly classicism in pursuit of folk music might view his style as “classically processed”, but that’s the way much Norwegian folk singing sounds; closer listening will reveal the same microtonal use of pitch found in the playing of fiddles, both Hardanger and ordinary, and flutes (particularly the harmonic overtone-flute, seljefløyte). Steinstolen is the strongest, most integrated BB album yet. The live show’s very appealing, too.

      Nordic jazz has moved further and further from American roots, and saxist Karl Seglem’s music is a prime example of the way the modalities and rhythms of Norwegian traditional music, and respect for and collaboration with traditional musicians, pervade and give a new rootedness to the work of many of the most skilful and progressive musicians who learnt their skills in other musical fields.
      Seglem’s NOR-CD label is home to his projects, which include the trio Utla, duo works with percussionist Terje Isungset, a new series of albums by solo hardingfele performers, and several fine albums by the band Sogn-a-Song, of which the latest is Spir, in which Seglem, Isungset, guitarist Morten Sæle, bassist Audun Erlien and traditional singer Berit Opheim explore and expand three traditional songs from Sogn and eight Seglem originals. It’s the spacious music of twisted branches, lichened rock, eddying water, thunder and clear air meeting and subverting the more urban associations of tenor sax.


© 1999 Andrew Cronshaw
 

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