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:
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
PATRICIA THOMAS BAND MANAGEMENT 