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Visit product page →Ambitious, epic and grand in scale, In The Country's previous album Whiteout was an artistic triumph. Always a very powerful and exciting live act, it was only natural that a concert album should come at this stage of their career, after three studio albums and a number of Norwegian, European and US tours.
Originally planned as a concert dvd, In The Country invited video director Claus Arthur Breda-Gulbrandsen to bring a crew to film a couple of Norwegian shows in October 2010.
Claus had previously directed two videos for Morten's other band, Susanna and the Magical Orchestra. Not content with merely filming these shows, Claus (and the band as well) had bigger ambitions for a more expanded type of film, of which you can see the quite stunning results on the accompanying dvd, with its mysterious Tarkovsky-like dream sequences mixed with Hipgnosis type of images.
We consider this to be one of the finest music films ever produced in Norway and a treatment rarely given to a jazz band of any origin. Looking like something with a much bigger budget, It needs to be said that this is a labour of love from all involved, and especially the director.
Also watch out for the hidden video after the film has ended.In the meantime, we also decided to make it a part of an ordinary CD and LP package, believing this will actually mean that more people will be able to see and enjoy it.
Apart from selections from all the studio albums, there are three new tracks here including a beautiful interpretation of Mark Knopfler's Brothers In Arms.
Morten Qvenild formed In The Country with fellow music students Roger Arntzen and Pål Hausken at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo in 2003.
They have released three albums, all on Rune Grammofon, This Was The Pace Of My Heartbeat (2005), Losing Stones, Collecting Bones (2006) and Whiteout (2009) to much critical acclaim.
Downbeat called their debut one of the finest and most arresting albums to come out of Europe that year, Mojo said startling, Straight No Chaser said fantastic and a host of others followed.
Tracks: Afraid, Whiteout, Slow Down, How To Get Acquainted, Kung Home, Brothers In Arms, Torch Fishing, Tree Canopy Walkway.
Said about the previous albums:
An album of wobbly serenity and arid self-assurance. New York Times (US)
Unfurl with subtlety, charm and an unadorned grace.¨ The Independent (UK)
Spaceous and memorable. The Guardian (UK)
One of the finest and most arresting albums to come out of Europe this year.
Downbeat (US)
Carry the emotional power of a screaming stack of Marshall amps. Jazztimes (US)A startling debut. 4/5. Mojo (UK)
Sounds
1. Afraid
2. Whiteout
3. Slow Down
4. How To Get Acquainted
5. Kung Home
6. Brothers In Arms
7. Torch Fishing
8. Tree Canopy Walkway
Sights
1. Afraid
2. Whiteout
3. Slow Down
4. Kung Home
5. Brothers In Arms
6. Ursa Major
7. Tree Canopy Walkway -
Visit product page →Ambitious, epic and grand in scale, In The Country's third album Whiteout qualifies to be called their magnum opus. Most of the music was performed and written as a thank you, as is the tradition, after leader Morten Qvenild was awarded Kongsberg Jazzfestival's prestigious Musician Award.
Other receivers have included notables such as Nils Petter Molvær, Bugge Wesseltoft and Sidsel Endresen. Qvenild is already established as a writer with a strong signature, original and melodic with elements from many genres of music.
His playing is rich in detail and dynamics but never dominant, and together with bassist Roger Arntzen and drummer Pål Hausken's sensitive and inventive contributions we are in for a treat when it comes to trio interplay. These eight compositions are all between seven and twelve minutes and are given time to develop, much like the best exploratory jazz and progressive rock music.
Another triumph from the band whose previous effort was dubbed one of the finest and most arresting albums to come out of Europe this year by Downbeat.
Tracklisting:
1. From The Shore
2. Kungen
3. Doves Dance
4. Ursa Major
5. Dead Water
6. W.a.r.m
7. Mother -
Visit product page →This is the Japanese edition released by Bomba Records and only available in Japan. There are no bonus tracks.
It comes in a so called replica mini lp cd gatefold sleeve with hard cardboard. Great stuff and we like these very much. It also comes with an obi strip at the front as well as a 4 page booklet in Japanese.
The original artwork has been slightly modified to fit the different format. These editions are often made in limited numbers and are known to become quite expensive on the collectors market.Tracklisting:
1. My Best Friend Is A Dancer
2. Hello Walt
3. Ashes To Ashes
4. Everyone Live Their Life
5. Medicine Waltz
6. Take Me Over
7. Torch-Fishing
8. The Bear
9. Can I Come Home Now
10. Kung Fu Boys
11. Don't Walk Another Mile -
Visit product page →This Was The Pace Of My Heartbeat is not your typical piano trio album, meaning that pianist Morten Qvenild (26) has skipped the Keith Jarrett school. When it comes to piano players he will admit to a certain fondness for Paul Bley and the late Norwegian free player Svein Finnerud, but he also draws inspiration from pop writers when it comes to a sense of structure and modern composers such as Messiaen and Feldman for the use of space and sound.
The album includes nine original Qvenild compositions as well as a Ryan Adams cover and an interpretation of Händel's beautiful Laschia Ch'io Pianga.
The album is an analogue recording and is produced by Arve Henriksen.
Morten Qvenild is already a central force in a young generation of extremely competent Norwegian musicians operating with great ease between various genres. He is Susanna's orchestra and writing partner in Susanna and the Magical Orchestra, he is a member, writer and arranger for acclaimed Norwegian jazz singer Solveig Slettahjell, he was a writer and member of Jaga Jazzist and a member of Shining since the beginning and up to their latest album.
Finally he is a member of The National Bank, a pop/rock group with the Horntveth brothers from Jaga Jazzist in the lineup, recently enjoying several weeks at the top spot of the Norwegian charts. In The Country is the piano trio he started in 2003 after meeting bass player Roger Arntzen (28) and drummer Pål Hausken (25) at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo.
As with Morten, they are both active in other groups as well, Roger most notably in Damp with Shining leader Jørgen Munkeby and Pål with singer Hilde Marie Kjersem in Tub Quartet.
This is the Japanese edition released by Bomba Records and only available in Japan. There are no bonus tracks.It comes in a so called replica mini lp cd gatefold sleeve with hard cardboard. Great stuff and we like these very much. It also comes with an obi strip at the front as well as a 4 page booklet in Japanese.
The original artwork has been slightly modified to fit the different format. These editions are often made in limited numbers and are known to become quite expensive on the collectors market.Tracklisting:
1. Where Can We Go
2. Beaver Creek
3. Tree Canopy Walkway
4. How To Get Acquainted
5. In My Time Of Need
6. Only The Birds Can See Us
7. Trio For Quartet
8. 0883 Oslo
9. Aerial Dark Bright Round
10. Viggo
11. Laschia Ch'io Pianga
