Total Guitar Annual 2019

Paal was born in Molde, Norway, Dec 24. 1974, and raised at a jazz club in Stavanger, run by his parents. It was natural to choose his fathers drums as his instrument and jazz as his work. From 1990 on he took actively part in the jazz milieu in Stavanger and joined bands with established musicians such as trumpeter Didrik Ingvaldsen and saxophonist Frode Gjerstad. In many ways, these collaborations were essential as they pointed out the directions for Paal’s later musical development and career. During his studies at the Jazz dept at the University in Trondheim, where the first self initiated bands were established, things developed really fast – and Paal was nationally acknowledged at the age of 20.

Fifteen years of activity for only four albums released: a relatively small output, that of the international quartet Dans les arbres, but published by the best sector labels, with the first two works on ECM (s / t, "Canopée") and a third on Hubro ("Phosphorescence"). And it is now the turn of another Norwegian edition with the Sofa by Ingar Zach - it was only a matter of time, being a member of the formation too -, which gives "Volatil", a live recording made on 16 March 2018 in Bologna, on the occasion of the annual AngelicA contemporary music festival.

''Jazz Tango'' won the Grammy Award for ''Best Latin Jazz Album'' on January 28, 2018 in the 60th Annual Grammy Awards. On ''Jazz Tango'', the internationally acclaimed Argentinian Tango jazz pianist, composer and band leader Pablo Ziegler presents his US-based trio featuring bandoneonist Hector Del Curto, and guitarist Claudio Ragazzi in three Astor Piazzolla Tango standards and seven original Ziegler compositions. Each of the last five Ziegler ZOHO releases achieved a Latin Grammy nomination in the Tango category!