Bjørn Tomren

For several years now, the guitarist and lutenist Björn Colell and the Baroque violinist Georg Kallweit, Konzertmeister of the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, have formed a noted duo called Ombra e Luce: ‘With only two musicians and two instruments, we aspire to a perfect rapport and a permanent dialogue. We have access to a rich repertory of original pieces from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries for violin and lute/theorbo: this was a widespread combination, essentially before 1700. We work a great deal on tone colours and nuances, spontaneity and improvisatory playing – a flexible and sensual interpretation of the works we perform, giving full value to chiaroscuro: ombra e luce! We are convinced that, played in this way, our “early music” can speak directly to the hearts even of listeners who are hearing it for the first time. This new recording, “Passagio”, is the result of our recent musical journeys. Setting out from Italy to go farther north, we have virtually and musically crossed the Alps with our instruments. The works on this recording shed a different light on the music of the courts of Modena, Bologna and Venice.’

Norway meets Iceland in wildly inventive ambient-gothic improvisations recorded in an abandoned Reykjavik warehouse Jo Berger Myhre and Ólafur Björn Ólafsson have created a strikingly original sound-world that, while it may have its antecedents, doesn’t really remind you of anyone else.

Airbag co-founder, songwriter and lead guitarist, Bjørn Riis is ready with a new studio album titled “Everything to Everyone”. It features six striking tracks, all dealing with human emotions and the fear of losing one self in the constant effort to meet every, often perceived, expectation.

Bjorn Schmelzer and his ensemble provide their special vision in this Josquin Desprez anniversary. With the conviction that Josquin, during his late years, produced works in sight of his own death, Graindelavoix renders compositions included in Tielman Susatos 1545 Antwerp print (Septiesme livre de chansons, published 24 years after the composers life ended).

With “A Fleeting Glimpse”, Bjørn Riis has let his inspiration from Pink Floyd really come forth. Here he offers four new songs just under 30 minutes, where you can really cherry pick the Pink Floyd references throughout the listen. Riis even got Durga McBroom, one of Pink Floyd’s backup singers during the 80s and 90s, to do guest vocals on one of the tracks.

The background for this release is that I have previously released two guitar trio records; LOS 130-2 Poinciana (2014) and LOS 175-2 But Not For Me (2017), both on Losen Records. This music is inspired by the American pianist Ahmad Jamal and especially his trio in the late 1950s with drummer Vernel Fournier and bassist Israel Cosby. Their trio sound has been a great inspiration for me, with their elegant swinging cool jazz, beautifully arranged with playful spontaneity – pure magic!