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Written in Folk Roots issue 142, 1995

FRODE FJELLHEIM JAZZ JOIK ENSEMBLE
Saajve Dans
Idut ICD 943 (1994)

Savage, wild and wonderful.
      Guttural joiking, sometimes united to ringing, screaming electric guitar harmonics giving a hint of overtone-singing, huge groove motifs with gritty, remarkable playing of exhilarating sounds. Despite what the band’s name might imply, this is no fusion form lurching from one tradition to another until the jazz licks of yesteryear gain the upper hand; it moves as one powerful new animal.
      Recorded in Trondheim (except for one joik by Albertina Nilsson borrowed from a 1991 Swedish Radio recording), the Ensemble consists of Frode Fjellheim (vocal, keyboards, percussion), Håvard Lund (soprano sax, clarinets, Bulgarian bagpipe, backing vocal), Nils Olav Johansen (vocal, guitar), Torbjørn Hillersøy (bass), and Snorre Bjerck and Tor Haugerud (percussion).
      I’ve heard the Ensemble is tremendous live, and on a level distribution playing field this album would be a revelation far outside its country of origin. I guess that’s what we mean by world music.


© 1994 Andrew Cronshaw
 

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