Posts Tagged ‘Jazz’

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

IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS ANNOUNCES DETAILS OF ELEVENTH FULL-LENGTH ALBUM FROM BUSHMAN’S REVENGE

Posted: June 27, 2023 in IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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What better way for a band to celebrate its twentieth anniversary than with a brand new album, and that is exactly what Norwegian Jazz veterans BUSHMAN’S REVENGE are planning to do, courtesy of Is it Jazz? Records.

“All The Better For Seeing You” is the album that will mark this momentous occasion, and it promises to be a memorable ride because with BUSHMAN’S REVENGE all the energy of Rock 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”, which will be BUSHMAN’S REVENGE’s eleventh full-length album,  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? Webshop qualifies you for a  30% discount on all other Is it Jazz? Records releases.

Obviously, in the two decades since its inception in 2003, BUSHMAN’S REVENGE’s lineup of Even Helte Hermansen on Guitar,  Rune Nergaard on  Bass, and Gard Nilssen on Drums, has had ample time to develop a distinctive sound.  It could even be said that, by exploring and experimenting with different sounds and directions, BUSHMAN’S REVENGE has, in fact, created a genre all of its own.

In addition to the ten previously released albums, BUSHMAN’S  REVENGE also has 300+ live performances under its belt, and together these two facts have earned the band a fearsome reputation amongst fans and critics alike, both for its studio output as well as its stage presence.  

And, with the album-led 20th Anniversary celebrations kicking off in earnest, fans will be able to witness for themselves the power of BUSHMAN’S REVENGE on stage when the band hits the road on their 20th Annivarsary “All The Better For Seeing You” 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

IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS RELEASES NEW SINGLE FROM  UPCOMING SOLSTEIN ALBUM

Posted: June 16, 2023 in IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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Fans eagerly awaiting the release of the debut full-length album from SOLSTEIN, the new project that features in its lineup multi-instrumentalist Jacob Holm-Lupo (WHITE WILLOW, THE OPIUM CARTEl), drummer Keith Carlock (STEELY DAN, TOTO),  guitarist Stian Larsen (MARTE EBERSON, SMITH KOMMA JOHN), and Brynjar Dambo (WHITE WILLOW) on keyboards,  get to hear another track from the album before its 7 July release, courtesy of Is It Jazz? Records who have released a second single from the self-titled album.

Titled “Intersection”, this is what the band had to say about it:

“Intersection” is named for its somewhat busy feel and on it the band is stripped down to its core trio of Larsen on fantastic lead guitar, Carlock on inimitably groovy drums, and Holm-Lupo  anchoring on bass, rhythm guitar and keyboards. It was one of the first tunes written for the album, and one we feel represents the sound of the band well.

“Intersection” is available to download or stream from a variety of services at

https://link.isitjazzrecords.no/Solstein_Intersection

Drawing their inspiration from jazz-rock, funk, prog rock and chill-out, SOLSTEIN’s  musicians are given free rein to do whatever they feel the music needs, as long as it feels right to everyone.  By combining jazz harmony with proggy arrangements and soul/funk grooves SOLSTEIN’s sound is elegant, oscillating, as it does, between funky fusion and rock.

The result is a debut album that is both accessible, whilst at the same time, adventurous.  Colourful  and engaging, it succeeds in mixing  the groovier side of fusion with elements of prog and funk, eschewing the usual 2020s fusion sound for an altogether funkier, more melodic range, that brings artists like THE CRUSADERS, IDRIS MUHAMMED, early BOB JAMES and 70s HERBIE HANCOCK to mind.

“Solstein”  was mixed and given pristine analogue mastering at Holm-Lupo’s Dude Ranch Studio, and with artwork by Martina Wilek, track listing is as follows:

  1. Intersection
  2. Oriental Folk Song
  3. Southwester
  4. The Night Owl
  5. Siriusly
  6. February 9th
  7. The Creeper
  8. Hamada

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

Bandcamp: https://solstein.bandcamp.com/album/solstein
Is it Jazz Records: Webshop: https://isitjazzrecords.no/
Karisma Records Webshop: https://www.karismarecords.no/shop/

For those curious as to where the name  SOLSTEIN comes from, the word actually means Sunstone, and it refers to  a relatively rare rock containing copper-red crystals, which, when seen from different angles refracts the light in a very beautiful way. The most significant deposits of the rock are found along the southern coast of Norway where Holm-Lupo lives and runs his studio.

More  information about SOLSTEIN can be found on the band’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/solsteinband Additional Information
Solstein
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/solsteinband
Band Contact:  aslanlupo@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 RELEASES FIRST SINGLE FROM  UPCOMING SOLSTEIN ALBUM

Posted: May 23, 2023 in IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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With SOLSTEIN’s self-titled debut full-length album due out on the 7th July, Is it Jazz? Records have today released a single that  gives fans a taste of what they can  expect from multi-instrumentalist Jacob Holm-Lupo’s new project.

Titled “Hamada”, the track features SOLSTEIN’s core lineup of  Stian Larsen (MARTE EBERSON, SMITH KOMMA JOHN) on lead guitar, Keith Carlock (STEELY DAN, TOTO) on drums and Jacob Holm-Lupo (WHITE WILLOW, THE OPIUM CARTEL) on bass, rhythm guitars and keyboards. Joining them on “Hamada” are American synth wizard Bill Bressler on lead synth and Fender Rhodes, Martin Windstad (KURT NILSEN, BIGBANG, ANE BRUN) on percussion, and INA A who provides some wordless vocal harmonies.

The name “Hamada” is partly  inspired by plane trips over the breathtaking landscape  of the Eilat Desert. On the Eastern side you can see the red rocks of Jordan, whilst the high plains desert landscape of the Hamada of the Eilat Desert are directly beneath you, and the endless deserts of the Sinai are to your West.

“Hamada” can be downloaded or streamed from a number of services at

https://link.isitjazzrecords.no/Solstein_Hamada

SOLSTEIN was formed after Holm-Lupo and Carlock had collaborated with legendary guitarist Georg Wadenius on a track for Holm-Lupo’s DONNER project. Finding that together they jelled, the duo decided to expand the lineup with the addition of Larsen and keyboardist Brynjar Dambo (WHITE WILLOW). 

Inspired by jazz-rock, funk, prog rock and chill-out, SOLSTEIN’s  is an  instrumental form of rock, where jazz harmony combines with proggy arrangements and soul/funk grooves. The end result is laid back and  elegant, oscillating between funky fusion and rock, where all the musicians involved are given free rein to do whatever they feel the music needs and feels right to everyone

The album itself is accessible yet adventurous, colourful, groovy and engaging. It melds  the groovier side of fusion with elements of prog and funk, but which, rather than having the standard 2020s fusion sound, tends more towards the funkier, more melodic spectrum that brings artists like THE CRUSADERS, IDRIS MUHAMMED, early BOB JAMES and 70s HERBIE HANCOCK to mind.

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

Bandcamp: https://solstein.bandcamp.com/album/solstein
Is it Jazz Records: Webshop: https://isitjazzrecords.no/
Karisma Records Webshop: https://www.karismarecords.no/shop/

“Solstein”  was mixed and given pristine analogue mastering at Holm-Lupo’s Dude Ranch Studio, and with artwork by Martina Wilek, track listing is as follows:

  1. Intersection
  2. Oriental Folk Song
  3. Southwester
  4. The Night Owl
  5. Siriusly
  6. February 9th
  7. The Creeper
  8. Hamada

For those curious as to where the name  SOLSTEIN comes from, the word actually means Sunstone, and it refers to  a relatively rare rock containing copper-red crystals, which, when seen from different angles refracts the light in a very beautiful way. The most significant deposits of the rock are found along the southern coast of Norway where Holm-Lupo lives and runs his studio.

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

Additional Information
Solstein
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/solsteinband
Band Contact:  aslanlupo@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

BUSHMAN’S REVENGE JOINS IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS

Posted: April 26, 2023 in IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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Norwegian Jazz trio, BUSHMAN’S REVENGE, whose music mixes the energy of Rock with the freedom of Jazz in a way that is exciting and exhilarating, have inked a deal with Is it Jazz? Records for the release of their eleventh full-length album.

Formed in 2003, BUSHMAN’S REVENGE’s lineup of Even Helte Hermansen on Guitar,  Rune Nergaard on  Bass, and Gard Nilssen on Drums, have had two decades in which to explore different paths and sounds, and, in doing so, they have succeeded in creating a genre all of their own.

With 10 critically acclaimed albums under their belts, and over 300 live appearances throughout the world, BUSHMAN’S REVENGE have earned a fearsome reputation, with Jazzwise commenting that they are “Insanely good! As if Jeff Beck was backed by Elvin Jones“, whilst David Fricke of Rolling Stone said that they were “Like a Marshall amp version of John Coltrane’s “Interstellar Space“

In addition to the new album, this year also marks their 20th anniversary as a band, and having been described as one of the most exciting live bands out there,  well known for their explosive energy and telepathic interplay, fans can expect a lot of celebrating on the part of BUSHMAN’S REVENGE in the coming months!

BUSHMAN’S REVENGE’s new album will be titled “All The Better For Seeing You”, and full details regarding its release will be revealed shortly.

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

IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS REVEALS DETAILS OF UPCOMING ALBUM FROM JACOB HOLM-LUPO’S  SOLSTEIN

Posted: April 21, 2023 in IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS, KARISMA RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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SOLSTEIN came into being after multi-instrumentalist Jacob Holm-Lupo (WHITE WILLOW, THE OPIUM CARTEL, DONNER) and drummer Keith Carlock (STEELY DAN, TOTO, JOHN LEGEND, STING) had collaborated with legendary guitarist Georg Wadenius on a track for Holm-Lupo’s DONNER project. The collaboration between the duo worked so well that they  decided to come together again on a whole album.

Joining Carlock and Holm-Lupo are up-and-coming guitarist Stian Larsen and keyboardists Brynjar Dambo (WHITE WILLOW) and Bill Bressler, and together they form a project that is inspired by jazz-rock, funk, prog rock and chill-out.  The sound they produce is an  instrumental form of rock, where jazz harmony combines with proggy arrangements and soul/funk grooves. The end result is laid back and  elegant, oscillating between funky fusion and rock.

Given some of the member’s prog backgrounds, there are also echoes of the jazzier side of prog, but, more than anything, SOLSTEIN is a playground for the musicians, where everyone was given free reins to do whatever they felt the music needed. If it put a smile on everyone’s face, it was deemed right.

The result is a self-titled album that is accessible yet adventurous, colourful, groovy and engaging. It melds  the groovier side of fusion with elements of prog and funk, but which, rather than having the standard 2020s fusion sound, tends more towards the funkier, more melodic spectrum that brings artists like THE CRUSADERS, IDRIS MUHAMMED, early BOB JAMES and 70s HERBIE HANCOCK to mind.

“Solstein”  was mixed and given pristine analogue mastering at Holm-Lupo’s Dude Ranch Studio, and with artwork by Martina Wilek, track listing is as follows:

  1. Intersection
  2. Oriental Folk Song
  3. Southwester
  4. The Night Owl
  5. Siriusly
  6. February 9th
  7. The Creeper
  8. Hamada

“Solstein” will be released on Is it Jazz? Records on the 7th July in CD, Digital and LPC formats and is now available to pre-order from:

Bandcamp: https://solstein.bandcamp.com/album/solstein
Is it Jazz Records: Webshop: https://isitjazzrecords.no/
Karisma Records Webshop: https://www.karismarecords.no/shop/

The name SOLSTEIN means Sunstone, and it refers to  a relatively rare rock containing copper-red crystals, which, when seen from different angles refracts the light in a very beautiful way. The most significant deposits of the rock are found along the southern coast of Norway where Holm-Lupo lives and runs his studio.

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

Additional Information
Solstein
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/solsteinband
Band Contact:  aslanlupo@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 ROCKERS THE VERGE SIGN WITH IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS

Posted: April 18, 2023 in IS IT JAZZ? RECORDS, OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES
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Another new band that is packed to the brim with experienced musicians from the Norwegian music scene has found its way onto Is It Jazz? Records,  the Bergen-based offshoot of Karisma Records that is developing a reputation for nurturing some of the latest and best arrivals on the Jazz scene, as well as attracting some very  well-established artists.

The band in question is THE VERGE, a four-piece unit that started life whilst its members were studying at the Jazz Academy in Trondheim.

Comprised 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, THE VERGE’s lineup is very definitely not short of creativity and enthusiasm.

Together they have  created an intense and energetic debut album that draws its inspiration from extreme improvisational rock and dreamy noise/dronescapes, and offers more than a nod in the direction of free form jazz.  It is an album that promises to be vibrant and multifaceted, one where the ability of the individual musicians to interact with one another is front and centre.

More information about the album, including release dates, will be revealed shortly, and in the meantime Ingvald expressed THE VERGE’s delight at joining Is It Jazz? Records.


Myself, Emil, Alf and Akse are really looking forward to releasing our debut album on Is It Jazz? Records. I´ve been a long time fan of Karisma Records and it´s an honour and a privilege to be on the same label as so many other great artists that we admire and draw inspiration from.

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/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/IsItJazzRecords/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isitjazzrecords/
Contact:  post@isitjazzrecords.no

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