Archive for the ‘IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS’ Category

JAZZ ROCKERS KROKOFANT REVEAL NEW SINGLE FROM UPCOMING ALBUM

Posted: December 13, 2024 in IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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Widely regarded as one of the founders of the current progressive jazz movement that is sweeping their native Norway, KROKOFANT’s sound, whilst firmly rooted in the 70s, has a distinctive  rare melodic  flair, that makes it unmistakably theirs.

It conjures up one catchy phrase after another in a  free jazz style where precise, heavy riffs are enhanced by strong improvisations,  and  where wild saxophone solos team up with hugely creative, virtuoso guitar playing, coupled with the kind of drumming that sounds like a turbocharged hybrid of Keith Moon and Elvin Jones .

With their 6th full-length album, titled “6” for obvious reasons, set for release on the 10th January, Is It Jazz? Records, have today revealed a new single from the album as a pre-Christmas treat for KROKOFANT fans.

The single, titled “Triple Dad”,  can be streamed or downloaded from a variety of services at:

https://orcd.co/krokofant-tripledad

Here is what the band had to say about it:

Triple Dad is composed by Mathisen and has a bit of a different feel to it than the traditional Kroko thing. More jazz elements and chord movements, with a rather strange melody on top. And an intense sax solo, with a  cleaner and jazzy guitar solo you would normally hear from Hasslan.

Founded in Oslo in 2011 as a trio consisting of Tom Hasslan on Guitar, Jørgen Mathisen on Saxophone and Axel Skalstad on Drums, KROKOFANT’s lineup did, for a time, include an additional two members.  But today’s band is not so much a playground for Tom´s prog-rock compositions, as it is an expansion on the idea of being a  “collective”,  sculpting their music together rather than following the more rigid song structures that is by necessity required by a quintet.

“6” is therefore very much an album from a band that has rekindled the fun of making songs together, and revels in its ability to create a sound that requires a more intense, improvisational interplay.

With artwork by Maria Risa Bornes, tracklisting for “6” is as follows:

1. Harry Davidson
2. Triple Dad
3. Oh My Cod
4. Country Doom
5. The Ballade
6. Pretentious Woman

“6” will be available CD, Digital and Hot Pink LP formats, and can now be pre-ordered at:

Webshop: https://isitjazzrecords.no/shop/
Bandcamp:  https://krokofant.bandcamp.com/album/6

Undoubtedly, “6” is an album whose appeal goes beyond genre boundaries, and will be of interest to rock fans, free jazzers and jazz-rock nostalgics alike. The chugging riffs and catchy melodies that long-time fans of KROKOFANT will recognise, are still there, but so are more spacey, atmospheric moments.

Interestingly, Tom Hasslan and Axel Skalstad are both also members of SOFT FFOG, and both happen to be past winners of the Kongsberg Jazzfestival Recruitment Scholarship. They originally met in a local record store and one year later they were joined by Jørgen Mathisen, a noted saxophonist known for his work with bands such as SHAGMA, THE CORE, ZANUSSI FIVE and HUMVEE.

And for  those who are curious about the name “KROKOFANT”, it is the name of a mythical creature featured in a popular Norwegian children’s song – a cross between an elephant and a crocodile, “a lumbering trumpeting beast with a fearsome array of teeth in its snapping jaws…”

KROKOFANT’s next live appearance will be at the Kafé Hærverk in Oslo, Norway, on the 10th January 2025. More dates to be announced.  

More information about KROKOFANT can be found on the band’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/krokofantmusic

Is It Jazz? Records recently released the track “Harry Davidson” from “6” and it can be streamed or downloaded from a variety of services at:

https://orcd.co/harrydavidson

Additional Information
KROKOFANT
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/krokofantmusic
Band Contact: jazztom@hotmail.com
IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS
Website:  https://isitjazzrecords.no/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/IsItJazzRecords/
Bandcamp: https://isitjazzrecords.bandcamp.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isitjazzrecords/
Contact:  post@isitjazzrecords.no
Promo and other information: post@isitjazzrecords.no

JAZZ ROCKERS KROKOFANT REVEAL DETAILS AND NEW SINGLE FROM UPCOMING ALBUM

Posted: November 8, 2024 in IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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With five highly rated albums to their credit, Norwegian Jazz Rockers KROKOFANT are set to celebrate the new year with the release their sixth full-length, titled “6”,  which is scheduled to hit the streets on Is It Jazz? Records on the 10th January.

Founded in Oslo in 2011 as a trio consisting of Tom Hasslan on Guitar, Jørgen Mathisen on Saxophone and Axel Skalstad on Drums, KROKOFANT’s lineup did, for a time, include an additional two members.  However, today it is back to its original format, and the new album very much reflects a band that has rekindled the fun of making songs together, and revelling in their ability to create a sound that requires a more intense, improvisational interplay.

To whet the appetite of KROKOFANT fans, Is It Jazz? Records has chosen to release the opening track “Harry Davidson” as a single, and the band’s Tom Hasslan has this to say about it:

“Harry” was composed some years ago, and has been sneaking into our repertoire whenever we performed live as a trio, which was during the period when we mostly performed as a quintet with Ståle Storløkken on keys and Ingebrigt Håker Flaten on bass.

With its heavy riffs and a catchy sax melody on top “Harry”  comes off like a classic KROKOFANT tune with  all the traits from our earlier releases as a trio.  It drives into a shreddy/quasi skronki guitar solo, complemented by a deep synth bass and creative groove-based drums.

“Harry Davidson” can be streamed or downloaded from a variety of services at:

https://orcd.co/harrydavidson

It’s apparent from the moment you hear the opening track from “6”, with its chugging riff and catchy melody, that the classic KROKOPHANT sound is still intact.  The more jazzy chord based tunes like “Triple Dad”, and the spacey, atmospheric, sounds of “The Ballade”, for example, make “6” an album that will appeal to rock fans, free jazzers and jazz-rock nostalgics alike.

With artwork by Maria Risa Bornes, tracklisting for “6” is as follows:

1. Harry Davidson
2. Triple Dad
3. Oh My Cod
4. Country Doom
5. The Ballade
6. Pretentious Woman

“6” will be available CD, Digital and Magenta Vinyl LP formats, and can now be pre-ordered at:

Webshop: https://isitjazzrecords.no/shop/
Bandcamp:  https://krokofant.bandcamp.com/album/6

KROKOFANT’s sound is deeply rooted in the 70s, with subtle nods in the direction of KING CRIMSON and SOFT MACHINE.  Whilst this is not necessarily a rare thing in the Norwegian jazz/rock scene, the band still manages to sound quite unique, and is regarded  as one of the founders of the current progressive jazz movement that is sweeping the country.

Hasslan and Skalstad, both of whom are now also members of SOFT FFOG, and both of whom happen to be past winners of the Kongsberg Jazzfestival Recruitment Scholarship, first met in a local record store. One year later they were joined by Mathisen, a noted saxophonist known for his work with bands such as SHAGMA, THE CORE, ZANUSSI FIVE and HUMVEE.

Their resurrection as a  trio has seen the band move from being more of a playground for Hasslan´s prog-rock compositions, which was much in evidence during its period as a quintet. THE KROKOFANT of today is much more focused on the “collective”,  sculpting their music together rather than following the more rigid song structures required by a quintet.

Musically KROKOFANT  demonstrates  a rare melodic flair, conjuring up one catchy phrase after another in a  free jazz style whose  precise and heavy riffs are redeemed by strong improvisations. Its  wild saxophone solos are teamed with hugely creative, virtuoso guitar playing, and drumming that sounds like a turbocharged hybrid of Keith Moon and Elvin Jones .

For those who are curious about the name “KROKOFANT”, it is the name of a mythical creature featured in a popular Norwegian children’s song – a cross between an elephant and a crocodile, “a lumbering trumpeting beast with a fearsome array of teeth in its snapping jaws…”

More information about KROKOFANT can be found on the band’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/krokofantmusic

Additional Information
KROKOFANT
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/krokofantmusic
Band Contact: jazztom@hotmail.com
IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS
Website:  https://isitjazzrecords.no/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/IsItJazzRecords/
Bandcamp: https://isitjazzrecords.bandcamp.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isitjazzrecords/
Contact:  post@isitjazzrecords.no
Promo and other information: post@isitjazzrecords.no

JAZZ ROCKERS THE VERGE REVEAL NEW SINGLE FROM UPCOMING ALBUM

Posted: September 5, 2024 in IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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Scheduled for release on the 4th October, the self-titled debut album from Norwegian Jazz Rockers THE VERGE, offers up a veritable palette of sounds. Drawing on extreme improvisational rock and dreamy noise/dronescapes, it ranges from fiery melodic jazz to prog rock, from atmospheric free-improvisation to heavy riffs.

Having recently released a single from the album, Is It Jazz? Records now bring us a second taste of what to expect with the release of the track “Snake”,  which can be downloaded or streamed from a variety of services at

https://orcd.co/theverge-snake

Commenting on the track, THE VERGE’s Emil Storløkken  had this to say:

“Snake”  started as a slightly strange ostinato, with an odd numbered time signature, that curls its way through the song. Then came the melody, with faster movements in the guitar and saxophone, adding something concrete but with an unsafe character.

We worked for a long time to find the perfect groove to drive the song. When we finally found this, we jammed out the powerful unison riff that breaks the circular motion. Like a snake leaping forth from the bushes and striking.

Consisting of seven original tracks composed by the different members of the band, “The Verge”,  is, not surprisingly, an album where each track differs significantly one from the other. It serves to showcase THE VERGE’s  ability to take their considerable musical skills and create an opportunity for spontaneous interplay,  with the ensembles  joyful attitude towards making music together leading to an album that is vibrant and multifaceted.

Recorded at the Duper Studio in 2021, and produced by  Vegard Lemme,  “The Verge”, whose  cover art is by Annika Linn Verdal Homme,  will be available in CD, LP and Digital formats and can be pre-ordered now from:

Webshop:  https://isitjazzrecords.no/
BandCamp: https://the–verge.bandcamp.com/album/the-verge

Track  listing for “The Verge” is as follows:

1. Nessesse
2. Hyperreality
3. Snake
4. Gratitude
5. Postludium
6. The Blast Supper
7. Patterns for Meditation

THE VERGE’s lineup of  Emil Storløkken Åse (PHOENIX, EMIL STORLØKKEN ÅSE SOLO) on Guitars , Aksel Rønning (COSMIC SWING ORCHESTRA, AKSEL RØNNING TRIO) on Saxophone and Flute, Alf Høines (CARAMEL 11, LEON RØSTEN TRIO) on Electric Bass,  and Ingvald Vassbø (KANAAN, JUNO) on Drums, first began playing together when they all attended the legendary Norwegian Jazz school NTNU.

Since then, their individual careers have branched off into various significant bands, giving them the chance to hone their skills not just in Norway, but also the within the European Jazz, Improv and Rock scenes. And it is now, thanks to Is It Jazz? Records,  that this eclectic cast of musicians have been given the  opportunity to demonstrate their uncanny ability to weave together so many different elements into one cohesive whole.

More information about THE VERGE can be found on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100065744882524

Additional Information
The Verge
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100065744882524
Band Contact:  ingvaldvassboe@gmail.com
Is it Jazz? Records
Website:  https://isitjazzrecords.no/
BandCamp: https://the–verge.bandcamp.com/album/the-verge
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/IsItJazzRecords/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isitjazzrecords/
Contact:  post@isitjazzrecords.no

IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS REVEALS SINGLE AND DETAILS OF DEBUT FULL-LENGTH  ALBUM FROM JAZZ ROCKERS THE VERGE

Posted: August 8, 2024 in IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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Having started to play together when they met at the legendary Norwegian Jazz school NTNU, the members of Jazz Rock quartet THE VERGE have, since then, forged individual careers with a number of significant bands within not just the local, but also the European Jazz, Improv and Rock scenes. 

 But now, thanks to Is It Jazz? Records,  the time has come to bring to the light of day THE VERGE’s vibrant and original debut album, which the still up-and-coming musicians  recorded at the Duper Studio on 2021, alongside  the equally young and aspiring producer Vegard Lemme.

The self-titled album, set to hit the streets on the 4th October, consists of seven original tracks composed by the different members of the band.  Unsurprisingly, this has resulted in an album where the tracks differ greatly one from the other. Indeed, “The Verge” encompasses sonic soundscapes that range from fiery melodic jazz to prog rock, from atmospheric free-improvisation to heavy riffs.

And today Is It Jazz? Records is letting us hear for ourselves what “The Verge” holds in store for us with the release of the first single from the album.  The track, titled ” Nessesse” can be downloaded or streamed from a number of services at:

https://orcd.co/nessesse

And this is what THE VERGE’s Aksel Rønning has to say about it:

 For multiple reasons “Nessesse” consists of just one ostinato. One reason for this is to treat the meditational spirit of THE VERGE to a free space of improvisation. Another is to pay tribute to our inspirations from the free jazz of the sixties. “Nessesse” is a place where our creativity runs free to make the composition’s small framework into a full song, with lots of energy, chaos and order. 

THE VERGE’s lineup of  Emil Storløkken Åse (PHOENIX, EMIL STORLØKKEN ÅSE SOLO) on Guitars , Aksel Rønning (COSMIC SWING ORCHESTRA, AKSEL RØNNING TRIO) on Saxophone and Flute, Alf Høines (CARAMEL 11, LEON RØSTEN TRIO) on Electric Bass,  and Ingvald Vassbø (KANAAN, JUNO) on Drums, demonstrates an uncanny ability to weave together all the album’s different elements into a coherent whole.

Drawing their inspiration from extreme improvisational rock and dreamy noise/dronescapes, and with their musical skills and spontaneous interplay,  THE VERGE’s  members display a joyful attitude towards making music together, creating a debut album that is vibrant and multifaceted.

With cover art by Annika Linn Verdal Homme, track listing for “The Verge” is as follows:

1. Nessesse
2. Hyperreality
3. Snake
4. Gratitude
5. Emils Låt / Postludium
6. The Blast Supper
7. Patterns for Meditation

“The Verge” will be available in CD, LP and Digital formats and can be pre-ordered now from:

Website:  https://isitjazzrecords.no/
BandCamp: https://the–verge.bandcamp.com/album/the-verge

More information about THE VERGE can be found on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100065744882524

Additional Information
The Verge
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100065744882524
Band Contact:  ingvaldvassboe@gmail.com
Is it Jazz? Records
Website:  https://isitjazzrecords.no/
BandCamp: https://the–verge.bandcamp.com/album/the-verge
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/IsItJazzRecords/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isitjazzrecords/
Contact:  post@isitjazzrecords.no

INDIE-JAZZERS SHAKAI REVEAL NEW TRACK FROM UPCOMING ALBUM

Posted: May 3, 2024 in IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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When a group of five friends from prestigious musical conservatories decide to get together to form a band, the result you get is SHAKAI, a group of musicians trained  in a wide variety of disciplines, differing  backgrounds and  personal experiences in diverse projects. Together they form a whole that  creates a sound that is unique and varied.

Even the band’s name, SHAKAI, derived from the Japanese word for “society”, perfectly defines the  quintet of musicians who, whilst firmly grounded in improvisation,  would rather not be bound by genre-definitions, instead preferring to allow their music to speak for itself by giving each member the freedom to define their own creativity.   

With Is it Jazz? Records set to release the band’s debut album “Fragments” on the 7th June, SHAKAI have today revealed a new single from the album.  Titled “Kanskje” you can download or stream it from a variety of sources at:

https://fanlink.tv/Shakai-Kanskje

SHAKAI founder and leader Eline Rafteseth had this to say about the “Kanskje” :

“Kanskje” is a song that was actually written back in 2018 but remained on the shelf until it finally  found its place on this album. It was a collaborative effort between me and Gabriela Garrubo and two of my bandmates from our college days, Sondre Berg Abrahamsen and Martin Wright Thorsen.

The  lyrics and content can be interpreted in various ways. For me, recently, it has become almost like a reflection or contemplation on young love. It reflects on how I used to overthink and overanalyze, yearning to be understood but struggling to articulate my emotions. It’s a sort of gentle “love-gone-sour” song, but from a somewhat naive and hopeful perspective.

The music itself spans a wide range, from playful, understated simplicity to loud, grandiose and dramatic. I didn’t really think much about the song’s structure or its deeper meaning; we just had a lot of fun during rehearsals. But looking back on it now, it actually describes me pretty well as a teenager and into my early twenties: somewhat naive, a bit confused, and experiencing a whirlwind of intense emotions across the spectrum

As you would expect from such a group of musicians, each  with their own stories and perspectives, “Fragments” is an album whose music and lyrics touch on a wide variety of subjects, from life’s big questions, to the small, everyday stories. From reckonings with the past, to hopes for the future.  The end result is a work that is full of unexpected elements and which is both beautiful and raw, playful and strange.

Recorded at Bergen’s Duper Studio with producers Jørgen Træen and Iver Sandøy, and with artwork by Tom Korsvold, track listing on “Fragments” is as follows:

1. Kanskje
2. Not Yours
3. Oh Well
4. Dandelion Child
5. Ville bare
6. Lullaby
7. Changes

“Fragments” will be released in LP and Digital formats and is now available to  pre-order from:

Website: https://isitjazzrecords.no/product/shakai-fragments-black-vinyl/
Bandcamp: https://shakai.bandcamp.com/album/fragments

Formed in 2016 SHAKAI’s lineup is comprised of Eline Rafteseth (NH3, SOFT NOISE ENSEMBLE, HEAVY ASTRO) on bass and vocals, Elisabeth Lid Trøen (BERGEN BIG BAND, TRØEN/ARNESEN KVARTETT) on saxophones, Gabriela Garrubo (GARRUBO, METTESON, AMAILIE HOLT KLEIVE) on vocals, Simen Walle (ATARI, NELLY, MALUM) on guitars and Kenneth Kapstad (SPIDERGAWD, COBRA KRAFT, MONOLITHIC, GOAT THE HEAD, ex-MOTORPSYCHO etc.) on drums. 

SHAKAI is an ensemble whose stage presence is one of studied ease, almost, at times, of introspection, but with a complete absence  of any form navel gazing.  It is a band that vibrantly brings its music to life,  drawing the audience in and surprising them with unexpected turns.

Their next live appearance is scheduled to take place on the 6th June at the Bergen Kjøtt where SHAKAI will celebrate the release of the new album.

A video of SHAKAI playing live at Landmark in Bergen can be seen below and at https://youtu.be/UmnJRCU5vqE

More information about SHAKAI can be found on the band’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/shakaimusic 

Additional Information
SHAKAI
Facebook: www.facebook.com/shakaimusic
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3I4SiHR9WzNlaQo8d0izWj?si=TWH_T7hCTfabG8zYXF9-Lw
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shakai.band/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuUp5Dqip-xDG91_uOVrL6g
Band Contact:  shakaibooking@gmail.com
IS IT JAZZ RECORDS
Promo and other information: post@isitjazzrecords.no
Website:  https://isitjazzrecords.no/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/IsItJazzRecords/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isitjazzrecords/

IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS ANNOUNCES ALBUM DETAILS AND NEW SINGLE FROM INDIE-JAZZERS SHAKAI

Posted: April 5, 2024 in IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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Although SHAKAI identify themselves as  an Indie-Jazz band, this is somewhat of a loose description, there for convenience rather than as a barrier to individuality, because this group of musicians would rather not be  shackled by genre definitions, preferring to let their creativity run free and allow their music to speak for itself. 

SHAKAI are a quintet of musicians who invite their audience to enter a world full of unexpected elements. And now Is It Jazz? Records invite that very audience to hear what they can expect from the band’s sophomore full-length “Fragments”  with the release of a single taken from the album.

The single, titled “Dandelion Child” can be downloaded or streamed from a variety of services at  https://fanlink.tv/dandelionchild

SHAKAI’s leader Eline Rafteseth had this to say about the song:

“Dandelion Child” is a song against injustice, written in despair during the aftermath of the 2022 terrorist attack against Pride in Oslo. The lyrics are about standing stronger together, and that love must always win.

I think this song describes some of my feelings towards all the terrible things happening in the world, and how our leaders are full of empty words but no action.

It was in 2016 that Eline formed SHAKAI, drawing on musicians from music conservatories to form a lineup that, aside from Eline (NH3, SOFT NOISE ENSEMBLE, HEAVY ASTRO) on bass and vocals, includes Elisabeth Lid Trøen (BERGEN BIG BAND, TRØEN/ARNESEN KVARTETT) on saxophones, Gabriela Garrubo (GARRUBO, METTESON, AMAILIE HOLT KLEIVE) on vocals, Simen Walle (ATARI, NELLY, MALUM) on guitars and Kenneth Kapstad (SPIDERGAWD, COBRA KRAFT, MONOLITHIC, GOAT THE HEAD, ex-MOTORPSYCHO etc.) on drums. 

Whilst firmly rooted in Jazz and Improvisation, SHAKAI’s musicians are  trained  in a wide variety of disciplines, which, along with their varied backgrounds and experience in diverse projects, allows them to  create a unique and varied sound. 

The name SHAKAI itself is derived from the Japanese word for “society”, and it could be said that its members actually do form a “society”  comprised of five individuals, each with their own stories and differing perspectives, and each contributing music and lyrics that touch on everything, from life’s big questions, small stories, reckonings with the past, and hopes for the future.

With “Fragments” SHAKAI have created an album that is both beautiful and raw, playful and strange. Recorded at Bergen’s Duper Studio with producers Jørgen Træen and Iver Sandøy, and with artwork by Tom Korsvold, the seven-track album is due for release on Is It Jazz? Records on the 7th June.

Track listing on “Fragments” is as follows:

1. Kanskje
2. Not Yours
3. Oh Well
4. Dandelion Child
5. Ville bare
6. Lullaby
7. Changes

“Fragments” will be released in LP and Digital formats and is now available to  pre-order from:

Website: https://isitjazzrecords.no/product/shakai-fragments-black-vinyl/
Bandcamp: https://shakai.bandcamp.com/album/fragments

SHAKAI’s next live appearance will be on the 5th April at the Sogndal Kulturhus in Norway. where fans will be able to witness a band whose stage presence is one of studied ease, almost, at times, of introspection. But, rest assured, that whilst on stage there is no  hint of navel gazing as the band skilfully brings its music to life,  drawing the audience in and surprising them with unexpected turns.

More information about SHAKAI can be found on the band’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/shakaimusic 

A video of SHAKAI playing live at Landmark in Bergen can be seen at https://youtu.be/UmnJRCU5vqE

Additional Information
SHAKAI
Facebook: www.facebook.com/shakaimusic
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3I4SiHR9WzNlaQo8d0izWj?si=TWH_T7hCTfabG8zYXF9-Lw
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shakai.band/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuUp5Dqip-xDG91_uOVrL6g
Band Contact:  shakaibooking@gmail.com
IS IT JAZZ RECORDS
Promo and other information: post@isitjazzrecords.no
Website:  https://isitjazzrecords.no/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/IsItJazzRecords/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isitjazzrecords/

LEGENDARY DRUMMER ERLAND DAHLEN RELEASES NEW SINGLE FROM UPCOMING ALBUM

Posted: September 29, 2023 in IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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When you’ve played on more than 300 albums, with a variety of artists including Norwegian Jazz legends such as NILS PETTER MOLVÆR, EIVIND AARSET, STIAN WESTERHUS and GEIR SUNDSTØL, together with bands and artists such as MADRUGADA, KAADA, JOHN PAUL JONES, ANE BRUN, ANNELI DRECKER, MARIT LARSEN and XPLODING PLASTIX, it’s inevitable that the desire to create and perform something of your own will emerge sooner or later. 

And indeed, so it was for legendary drummer ERLAND DAHLEN, who has joined with Is it Jazz? Records to release “Racoons”,  his fifth studio album, demonstrating that not only is he a versatile artist who can adapt his skills to the needs of other musicians, but that he is also a solo artist renowned for his creative ideas.  Ideas that make use of his ability to play a multitude of percussive instruments to create a massive, intricately layered sound, that is unmistakably his own.

And today, ahead of it’s 27 October release, Is it Jazz? Records brings us a second track from “Racoons” to pique our interest in the album.  Titled “Auto”, the track can be downloaded or streamed from a variety of sources at:

https://link.isitjazzrecords.no/ErlandDahlen_Auto

As Dahlen explains, “Auto” had unusual origins:

I based “Auto” on the drone from a Dulcimer Lute, which I combined with drums/percussion, synth, voices and electronics. In the intro you can hear an old tape recording of the Folk singer Knut Slettetveit, which my father recorded  in the late 80’s.  The title itself is an homage to the Kraut Rock era .

When he started recording his own music, Dahlen’s original idea had been to release just one solo album, this being 2012’s “Rolling Bomber”.  However, things didn’t go quite to plan, and  his solo work became more significant to him, something for which his fans are grateful. 

For his latest album, Dahlen both made, and used, a lot of unique instruments, as he explains:

On “Racoons” I play a lot of custom-made instruments. Lars Hurlen has built different log drums for the album, and Harald Hougaard has built a custom-made zither bass. I also use custom-made chromatic blossom bells, and different metal items, such as huge serving plates.

“Racoons”  was recorded with Bjarte Stensli in March 2023 at the Rainbow Studio in Oslo, with additional recording and mix by  Jens Petter Nilsen and Hallvard W. Hagen from Xploding Plastix.

With cover art by Tom Korsvold, tracklisting on “Racoons” is as follows:

  1. Sun Pt. 1
  2. Stride
  3. Auto
  4. Slow
  5. Mud
  6. Foggy
  7. Sun Pt. 2

“Racoons” will be available in CD, Digital and LP formats, and can now be pre-ordered from:

Bandcamp: https://erlanddahlen.bandcamp.com/album/racoons 
Webshop: https://isitjazzrecords.no/shop/

Dahlen has received numerous industry awards for the albums on which he has appeared, including 13 Spelleman Awards, having been nominated an extraordinary total of 38 times.   He  can also be found behind the drumkit of a number of Norwegian and International film scores.  

More information about ERLAND DAHLEN can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063804630105 and https://www.facebook.com/erland.dahlen  
Or on the Artist Page at https://isitjazzrecords.no/artists/erland-dahlen/

Additional Information
Erland Dahlen
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063804630105
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/erland.dahlen 
Artist Page: https://isitjazzrecords.no/artists/erland-dahlen/
Band Contact: erlanddahlen@gmail.com
Is it Jazz? Records
Website:  https://isitjazzrecords.no/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/IsItJazzRecords/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isitjazzrecords/
Contact:  post@isitjazzrecords.no

IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS REVEALS ALBUM DETAILS AND SINGLE FROM LEGENDARY DRUMMER ERLAND DAHLEN

Posted: August 25, 2023 in IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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Having played on more than 300 albums with a wide range of artists from different genres, and with four solo albums to his name, drummer ERLAND DAHLEN is set to release his fifth studio album “Racoons” on Is It Jazz? Records on the 27th October.

Obviously, being so much in demand on such a wide variety of collaborations and sessions, it is clear that Dahlen is an artist with considerable skills, who is sensitive to the requirements of other musicians, and who is well able to adapt those skills to whatever the music requires. However,  he is also a renowned solo artist with his own creative ideas, and who, by using  a multitude of percussive instruments, is able to create a massive, intricately layered sound, that is all his own.

Over the years, Dahlen had accumulated so many musical ideas that didn’t fit in with any other projects, and he grew to realise that he needed a project that would allow him to record and play live for himself. 

Originally the plan had been to release just one solo album, 2012’s “Rolling Bomber”.  However,  since then this solo work has grown in importance for Dahlen, so much so, in fact, that for  “Racoons” he actually made and used a lot of unique instruments, as he explains:

I play a lot of custom-made instruments here.   Lars Hurlen has built different log drums for the album, and Harald Hougaard has built a custom-made zither bass. I also use custom-made chromatic blossom bells, and different metal items, such as huge serving plates.

Those eager to find out the kind of sound that these create ahead of the full-album release, can do so with the track “Foggy”, which can be streamed or downloaded from a variety of services at

https://link.isitjazzrecords.no/ErlandDahlen_Foggy

Dahlen had this to say about the track:

“Foggy” starts off with a drum groove that moves across a drum machine beat. The idea was to let the groove evolve and gradually add more elements in a repetitive drone-like landscape.

“Racoons”  was recorded with Bjarte Stensli in March 2023 at the Rainbow Studio in Oslo, with additional recording and mix by  Jens Petter Nilsen and Hallvard W. Hagen from Xploding Plastix.

With cover art by Tom Korsvold, tracklisting on “Racoons” is as follows:

  1. Sun Pt. 1
  2. Stride
  3. Auto
  4. Slow
  5. Mud
  6. Foggy
  7. Sun Pt. 2

“Racoons” will be available in CD, Digital and LP formats, and can now be pre-ordered from:

Bandcamp: https://erlanddahlen.bandcamp.com/album/racoons 
Webshop: https://isitjazzrecords.no/shop/

Dahlen has received numerous industry awards for the albums on which he has appeared, including 13 Spelleman Awards, having been nominated an extraordinary total of 38 times.   He  can also be found behind the drumkit of a number of Norwegian and International film scores.

Some of the artists with whom he has played, either live or in the studio, include Norwegian Jazz legends such as NILS PETTER MOLVÆR, EIVIND AARSET, STIAN WESTERHUS and GEIR SUNDSTØL, together with bands and artists such as MADRUGADA, KAADA, JOHN PAUL JONES, ANE BRUN, ANNELI DRECKER, MARIT LARSEN and XPLODING PLASTIX, along with a host of others!

More information about ERLAND DAHLEN can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063804630105 and https://www.facebook.com/erland.dahlen  or on the Artist Page at https://isitjazzrecords.no/artists/erland-dahlen/

Additional Information
Erland Dahlen
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063804630105
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/erland.dahlen
Artist Page: https://isitjazzrecords.no/artists/erland-dahlen/
Band Contact: erlanddahlen@gmail.com
Is it Jazz? Records
Website:  https://isitjazzrecords.no/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/IsItJazzRecords/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isitjazzrecords/
Contact:  post@isitjazzrecords.no

JAZZ VETERANS BUSHMAN’S REVENGE REVEAL NEW VIDEO FROM UPCOMING ALBUM

Posted: August 18, 2023 in IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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Jazz Veterans BUSHMAN’S REVENGE are in celebratory mood this year as they  celebrate their twenty Year Anniversary with a new album and a tour. But with their appearance at the Oslo Jazzfestival coming up, they are giving everyone who cannot be there to see them play live, an insight into the new album with a video for the track “Last Cup of Zorro”.

The video for the “Last Cup of Zorro” can be seen below and at https://youtu.be/ZF4HVzH0gQQ

When Even Helte Hermansen on Guitar,  Rune Nergaard on  Bass, and Gard Nilssen on Drums got together to form BUSHMAN’S REVENGE, the Norwegian trio set out on a journey of exploration and experimentation that would lead to the creation of a sound that can only be described as their own.

Winning plaudits from both fans and critics, BUSHMAN’S REVENGE have honed their art and become a band that makes full use of the vital energy found in the Rock genre, but they take it further by giving in to the freedom that comes with the use of jazz elements. 

Their new album, and the band’s eleventh full-length, is titled “All The Better For Seeing You”, and marks a new peak for BUSHMAN’S REVENGE, showing just how good this band is in the studio. 

With artwork by Per Spjøtvold,  “All The Better For Seeing You”  will be released on Is It Jazz? Records on the 8th September in CD, Digital and Green Vinyl formats.  Tracklisting is as follows:

  1. Halvannen Time – an hour and a half, more than enough
  2. Last Cup Of Zorro
  3. Hollowed Be Thy Fame
  4. Stolen From a Blind Monkey
  5. Raptus Norvegicus
  6. Takk For Seg

“All The Better For Seeing You” is available to pre-order now from:

Bandcamp: https://bushmansrevenge.bandcamp.com/album/all-the-better-for-seeing-you
Webshop: https://isitjazzrecords.no/shop/ **

**  By using sing the code “bushman” when Pre-ordering “All The Better For Seeing You” through the Is It Jazz? Records Webshop you will be entitled to a  30% discount on all other Is it Jazz? Records releases.

As a live band BUSHMAN’S REVENGE have a well-deserved reputation for demonstrating an explosive energy and a quasi-telepathic ability that ensures some very interesting interplay between its members. This skill will be very much in evidence during the upcoming Anniversary tour, whose routing is as follows:

BUSHMAN’S REVENGE 20th ANNIVERSARY TOUR 2023

“All The Better For Seeing You”

19.08.- Blå, Oslojazz (NO) *
19.09.- Rommet, Bergen (NO)
20.09.-Apollon, Bergen (NO)
21.09.- Inderøy jazzforum (NO)
22.09.- PØKK, Trondheim (NO)
23.09.- Munkehaugen, Arendal (NO)
24.09.- Union Scene, Drammen (NO)
05.11.- Karensminde Kulturhus, Copenhagen (DK) **
06.11.- TBA, Hamburg (GER)
09.11.- Sarajevo Jazzfestival (BA)
10.11.- Bimhuis, Amsterdam (NL)
11.11.- Rockit, Groningen (NL)
12.11.- Comment Dire- Dialograum Kreuzung an Sankt Helena, Bonn (GER)
07.12.- Nasjonal Jazzscene, Oslo (NO)

More information about BUSHMAN’S REVENGE can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063543191580

Additional Information
Bushman’s Revenge
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063543191580
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bushmansrevenge/ Band Contact: Gardnilssen@gmail.com
Is it Jazz? Records
Website:  https://isitjazzrecords.no/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/IsItJazzRecords/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isitjazzrecords/
Contact:  post@isitjazzrecords.no

JAZZ VETERANS BUSHMAN’S REVENGE RELEASE SINGLE FROM UPCOMING ALBUM

Posted: July 5, 2023 in IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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Fans of Jazz veterans BUSHMAN’S REVENGE won’t have to wait until September to hear what “All The Better For Seeing You”,  the band’s eleventh full-length album, sounds like, because today Is It Jazz? Records have released a single from the album.

The track, titled “Hollowed Be Thy Fame” is, as the band explains, the perfect track to remind long-time followers what has gone into shaping BUSHMAN’S REVENGE into what it is today, as well as acting as an introduction to new listeners:

“Hollowed BeThy Fame” was one of the first ones written for the new record. With this one we kind of tried to sum up most of the elements that have made up the band to this point in one song: the freer stuff, the rockier stuff, the riffier parts, the more soundtracky stuff etc. 20 years on, it hopefully sounds a little bit old, and a little bit new at the same time. Same as us!

“Hollowed Be Thy Fame” can be downloaded or streamed from a variety of services at

https://link.isitjazzrecords.no/Bushmans-Revenge-Hollowed-be-thy-fame

Not only will BUSHMAN’S REVENGE be celebrating the release of a new album this year, they will also be celebrating twenty years since Even Helte Hermansen on Guitar,  Rune Nergaard on  Bass, and Gard Nilssen on Drums first got together to form the band. 

In those twenty years, BUSHMAN’S REVENGE have garnered a stellar reputation world-wide amongst critics and fans alike. Not just as a as a consummate studio band, but also as a live band that demonstrates explosive energy and telepathic interplay.

“All The Better For Seeing You” is a culmination of two decades of exploration and experimentation with different sounds and musical direction, the result of which has been the creation of a genre specific to BUSHMAN’S REVENGE. It is a sound that exemplifies all the energy of Rock, but Rock that is given free rein thanks to the band’s Jazz elements

With artwork by Per Spjøtvold, track listing for “All The Better For Seeing You” is as follows:

  1. Halvannen Time – an hour and a half, more than enough
  2. Last Cup Of Zorro
  3. Hollowed Be Thy Fame
  4. Stolen From a Blind Monkey
  5. Raptus Norvegicus
  6. Takk For Seg

“All The Better For Seeing You” will be released on the 8th September in CD, Digital and Green Vinyl formats, and is available to pre-order now from:

Bandcamp: https://bushmansrevenge.bandcamp.com/album/all-the-better-for-seeing-you
Webshop: https://isitjazzrecords.no/shop/ **

**  Using the code “bushman” when Pre-ordering “All The Better For Seeing You” through the Is It Jazz? Records Webshop qualifies you for a  30% discount on all other Is it Jazz? Records releases.

No celebration for a band, especially one like BUSHMAN’S REVENGE,  would be complete of course without live appearances,  and BUSHMAN’S REVENGE will hit the road for a series of dates on their 20th Anniversary Tour.  Routing as follows:

BUSHMAN’S REVENGE 20th ANNIVERSARY TOUR 2023
“All The Better For Seeing You”

30.06: Mandaljazz (NO)
19.08: Blå, Oslojazz (NO) feat; Alexander Hawkins-Organ
19.09: TBA, Bergen (NO)
20.09: Apollon, Bergen (NO)
21.09: Inderøy jazzforum (NO)
22.09: PØKK, Trondheim (NO)
23.09: Munkehaugen, Arendal (NO)
24.09: Union Scene, Drammen (NO)
05.11: Karensminde Kulturhus, Copenhagen (DK) (with Kresten Osgood3)
06.11: TBA, Hamburg (DK)
09.11: Sarajevo Jazzfestival (BA)
10.11: Bimhuis, Amsterdam (NL)
11.11: Rockit, Groningen (NL)
12.11: Comment Dire – Dialograum Kreuzung an Sankt Helena, Bonn (DE)
07.12: Nasjonal Jazzscene, Oslo (NO)

More information about BUSHMAN’S REVENGE can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063543191580

A video of BUSHMAN’S REVENGE’s appearance at 2022’s Cologne Jazzweek can be seen below and at https://youtu.be/lHRbDsu56J4

Additional Information
Bushman’s Revenge
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063543191580
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bushmansrevenge/ Band Contact: Gardnilssen@gmail.com
Is it Jazz? Records
Website:  https://isitjazzrecords.no/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/IsItJazzRecords/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isitjazzrecords/
Contact:  post@isitjazzrecords.no

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