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Tord Gustavsen

This is music that sings, at once gentle and robust. Lyrical, immediately memorable songs, songs of an appealing freshness, yet sophisticated in their involvement with the melodic line.

In the seven years that have elapsed since the recording of a debut album that proved both a popular and a critical success, Tord Gustavsen has toured extensively, crystallizing the musical approach and developing new compositions. The second trio album "The Ground" was released in 2005. In 2007 the trio completed a unique trilogy with a release named "Being There".

In 2009, Tord changed into a different and somewhat more flexible ensemble form, releasing the album "Restored, Returned" with a line-up including Kristin Asbjørnsen (vocals), Tore Brunborg (saxophones), Mats Eilertsen (bass), Jarle Vespestad (drums). The ensemble continues to perform in duo, trio, quartet and quintet formats — exploring the different internal configurations while still remaining essentially one musical project. The quartet formation has since become Tord's major touring and recording constellation, with recent ECM releases "The Well" (2012) and "Extended Circle" (2014).

Tord's music is still melodic and almost romantic. It still displays a striking, spacious 'Nordic-Caribbean-gospel-bluesy' fresh feel while presenting Tord Gustavsen's original compositions. The ensemble also integrates new musical fields in its interaction, and the musical palette is widened with a fuller spectrum in dynamics and timbres. The musicians are just as un-compromising in their search for beauty as they are in their search for a creative approach with fresh phrasing and imaginative playing.

Awards

Selected awards: Norwegian Grammy (Spellemannsprisen) 2009 for "Restored, Returned" // Bell Award, Australia 2006 - "The Ground" voted best international jazz album of the year by Australian critics // "The Ground" sold to gold in Norway (20,000 copies), and has sold more than 15,000 copies in Germany // Other awards include: Stereophile (Recording of the month); Jazzreview (Editor’s Choice); Le Monde de la musique (Choc du mois); Jazzman (Choc du mois); Fono Forum (Empfehlung des Monats); Piano News (CD des Doppel- monats); Gramophone Korea (Editor’s Choice)

Tord Gustavsen Trio: Changing Places

by Jeffrey Allen Chelsky
February 22, 2023

I never tire of listening to the masterful Tord Gustavsen in his various incarnations, this time with his trio composed of bassist Harald Johnsen and drummer Jarle Vespestad, Changing Places has been out since 2003 and seems new every time I play it. I listen and it is as if the world slows down and fades into the background. Like so much of Nordic jazz (which you should try if you have not had the pleasure--in addition to Norway's Gustavsen, ...

Album Review

Tord Gustavsen Trio: Opening

by Peter Jones
May 11, 2022

Tord Gustavsen's first three piano trio albums sold in unimaginable quantities, made him an unlikely star in his native Norway, and established him internationally. He became the living embodiment of the ECM sound—quiet, contemplative, solemn, spacious. In fact, so spacious, that at gigs one would sometimes wait a seeming eternity for the arrival of the next tinkling arpeggio, the next scrape of a fingernail across the snare drum, or growling bass slide. Minimalist it most certainly is, but putting this ...

Album Review

Tord Gustavsen Trio: Opening

Read "Opening" reviewed by David Bruggink

by David Bruggink
April 27, 2022

After 2018's stellar The Other Side, Tord Gustavsen again graces listeners with a trio format. On this outing, ecologically-minded double bassist Sigurd Hole is replaced by ECM newcomer Steinar Raknes. A prolific recording artist with everything from dusky alt-country and americana to post-bop and free jazz to his name, Raknes introduces new flavors to the trio's palette. Gustavsen, along with stalwart percussionist Jarle Vespestad, proves to be an ideal collaborator with Raknes' diverse musical background. Opening begins even less conspicuously than ...

Live Review

Norwegian Digital Jazz Festival 2020, Part 1

by Mark Sullivan
December 3, 2020

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 Norwegian Digital Jazz Festival Sentralen Oslo, Norway November 6-17, 2020 With the physical 2020 festival cancelled, the Big Ears Festival has turned its attention to broadcasting filmed and live streamed concerts, under the moniker “Sites & Sounds From Big Ears." Many of the shows have taken place in the Knoxville area, but for this ambitious series of filmed concerts they have turned to Norwegian ...

Album Review

Tord Gustavsen Trio: The Other Side

Read "The Other Side" reviewed by David Bruggink

by David Bruggink
July 1, 2020

In spiritual parlance, “the other side" often refers to a realm beyond death. Tord Gustavsen is no stranger to integrating music to religious practice, performing frequent “Musikkmeditasjon" concerts in Norwegian churches. It would be reductive, however, to describe his music in New Age terms. Gustavsen is a master composer and improviser, and The Other Side is introspective music performed with sublime subtlety, always keeping one eye trained on the avant-garde. This marks Gustavsen's first trio recording since Being ...

Album Review

Tord Gustavsen Trio: The Other Side

Read "The Other Side" reviewed by Neri Pollastri

by Neri Pollastri
June 6, 2019

Undici anni dopo Being There il pianista norvegese Tord Gustavsen torna a registrare in trio, formazione che aveva preferito non affrontare più dopo la scomparsa di Harald Johnson, il contrabbassista che lo aveva sempre accompagnato assieme al batterista Jarle Vespestad. Adesso, con l'ingresso di Sigurd Hole, Gustavsen si riavvicina alla forma che l'aveva lanciato e lo fa da un lato riprendendo il filo di un discorso lirico e legato alla musica popolare della sua terra, così come in passato, dall'altro ...

Album Review

Tord Gustavsen: The Other Side

Read "The Other Side" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic

by Mike Jurkovic
August 30, 2018

Like a dusty, Southern gothic novel, Norwegian pianist Tord Gustavsen opens his return to the trio format with the moody, enigmatic “The Tunnel." All his compositions on The Other Side bare their secrets slowly and play out their methodically expressionistic hauntings with a gospel-influenced left hand seemingly rooted thousands of miles away in the muddy Louisiana delta. Though Being There (ECM, 2007) was widely hailed yet often criticized as being cool in nature, The Other Side is a ...

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