Coull Quartet - String Quartets - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

We Are is an Oslo-based trio consisting of Karl Hjalmar Nyberg on saxophone and keyboards, Aaron Mandelmann on double bass and Axel Skalstad on drums. Despite their young age, Nyberg, Mandelmann and Skalstad have established themselves as critically acclaimed and important figures in the Norwegian jazz scene. They are known from projects such as the Norwegian Grammy nominated Megalodon Collective, Krokofant, Kalle, Trondheim Jazzorkester and several other ensembles. Their different voices as performers and composers combine to create music that unashamedly ranges from heartbreaking dance band saxophone to prog rock and on to free improvisation.

Amplifying Host finds Richard Young's wandering the guitar desert somewhere between Ry Cooder's Paris, Texas score and Neil Young's work on Dead Man. Yet, the randomly determined chord movements and Young's' stretched-out vocal passes across the record are, perhaps, more akin to Jandek's Six And Six ? here, removed from it's gauze and dipped in a dark gold. When Young's bends strings in this Anglo-Americana vision, it's like he's bending spoons.

Classical guitarist Alison Smith presents a collection of expressive, lyrical, soulful and evocative music that has been inspired by a poem, title, story or emotion. Many of the works are world premiere recordings, with 9 of them composed or arranged by William Lovelady, whose works for guitar have been performed worldwide, as well as being broadcast on radio and television. The highly acclaimed British born classical guitarist Alison Smith has been described as one of the most exciting and lyrical guitarists to emerge in recent years. She delights audiences with her fluid technique and expressive playing, performing nationwide and in Europe. Her previous albums entitled Recuerdos and Incandescent, have been highly successful. She has recently been engaged by Willowhayne Records to become one of their artists and Poetico is her first album under their tag.