20/10/2023
NEW ALBUM OUT!
John Børge Askeland - The Realization (CD/Digital)
John Børge Askeland grew up by Sognefjorden and his education background includes, amongst other things, the jazz program at NTNU and composition studies at the Oslo University College.
Throughout his life he has always composed and is convinced that his childhood, where he was surrounded by majestic nature, has influenced his music. Tall mountains, peace and quiet, mighty deep fjords, and the heavy thick fog which often lies over the fjord far down the mountainsides are all reflected in his compositions.
Throughout the years he has contributed on productions as a bassist, arranger, and composer, but this marks his debut in publishing music under his own name.
“When I compose I come closer to my own self, also to the realization that all our good intentions do not always lead to something good. That which can cause us to harm ourselves, each other, and nature,” he says. The music is characterised by honesty, truth, and a plead for reconciliation between us humans and the creation we are so dependent on.
Some of the music was first created as liturgical components that here have been reworked to fit the ensemble. He has chosen to preserve the original titles such as, Kyrie, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei, which precisely challenge reckoning and realization.
“In realization lies a fine balance between discovery and humility”, he believes, a combination that gives room for creativity. When he invites other musicians to his compositions, he finds it important to meet each other with respect so that they together can discover and create in the magical moment of collaboration. In many ways they are searching for the realization together. Playing together gives insight, it mirrors, it challenges and affirms.
Arve Henriksen and Helge Andreas Norbakken are acquaintances from their student days where they collaborated frequently. He tells that the way they play with vulnerability and great presence has never left him, rather it has colored his expression as a composer. Eyolf Dale is a newer connection. His sparkling, yet delicate piano playing greatly affects this release. He never dips into melancholy despite its prevalence in the compositions, which creates a beautiful tension in the music. He has had precisely these musicians in mind while composing. He is ever grateful for the musicians’ contribution and the exceptional way in which they have approached the material.
Arve Henriksen (trumpet)
Eyolf Dale (piano)
John Børge Askeland (bass)
Helge Andreas Norbakken (drums)
https://amprec.lnk.to/realization
@ Musikkoperatørene AS Believe Inpartmaint Inc. Jazznytt Arve Henriksen Eyolf Dale John Børge Askeland Helge Andreas Norbakken AMP Music & Records
Go to John Børge Askeland - The Realization.
