The Christian Wallumrød Ensemble (CWE) has built up a magnificent series of albums at ECM Records. Under the approving eye of ECM founder and producer Manfred Eicher, the ensemble led by the Norwegian pianist has brought out Sofienberg Variations (2003), A Year From Easter (2005), The Zoo Is Far (2007), Fabula Suite Lugano (2009) and Outstairs (2013). On the last of these albums, Wallumrød introduced two new members of the group: the saxophonist Espen Reinertsen and the Swedish cellist Tove Törngren Brun. The current line-up – including Eivind Lønning, who provided the music for Bára Sigfúsdóttir’s FLÖKT - a flickering flow last year – have been working together as a quintet since 2014 and released two albums on the Norwegian label Hubro Music: Kurzsam and Fulger (2016) and the recent release Many (2020).
piano
Christian Wallumrød
trumpet
Eivind Lønning
saxophone
Espen Reinertsen
cello
Tove Törngren Brun
drums
Per Oddvar Johansen
in partnership with
Mechelen Cultural Centre
CWE has only ever worked with Wallumrød’s compositions over its lifespan of almost 20 years. His signature is unmistakeable. Nobody else writes pieces like this: multidimensional chamber music that draws inspiration from Norwegian folk and church tradition and Cage’s avant-garde. However the members of the ensemble always contribute their personal sound and improvisations to the music, making it more organic and flexible as new sound combinations arise. CWE’s concert at BRAND! 2017 was unforgettable, and all the indications are that this new edition – including the compositions from the new album Many – will be every bit as memorable.
Suura
A more than promising Belgian quartet will be in charge of the supporting programme. Suura is an acoustic quartet created via the musical wanderings of guitarist Nicolas Van Belle. For some time now Suura has been exploring the boundaries of improvisation, free improvisation, sound, silence and acoustic reflections. Through collaborations with established musicians like Brice Soniano, Joachim Badenhorst, Bert Cools and Frederik Leroux, among others, the ensemble has been able to develop its own sound. Adjectives like 'gentle' and 'acoustic' need not be synonymous with woolliness or dullness. After passages on Gent Jazz, Leuven Jazz, Footprints, Citadelic, De Rore festival and Soundtrack, Suura released his debut album on bwaa. records in May 2020. Luwte sounds sweltering, at times intoxicating, but equally uncompromising.
