At only 33, trumpet player Arve Henriksen is already
a respected figure in the world of contemporary Nordic
jazz. As well as officiating in quartet Supersilent,
he has been involved with the Christian Wallumrød
Trio, on 1998’s No Birch, and Trygve Siem,
on 2000’s Different Rivers, both released on
seminal German label ECM. After studying at the Trondheim
Conservatory, he has worked with John Balke’s Magnetic
North Orchestra, Nils Petter Molvær, Audun Kleive
or Iain
Ballamy to name but a few. As well as drawing inspiration
from the likes of Miles Davis, Chet Baker or Molvær,
Henriksen is also very much influenced by Japanese music,
especially by the shakuhatchi flute, a traditional instrument
used by Buddhist monks since the thirteenth century.
Sakuteiki is Henriksen’s first solo album.
Taking its name from an eleventh century Japanese treatise
on garden planning, the album showcases the range of
Henriksen’s artistry. Relying on very little more than
a few electronic textures laid out by co-Supersilent
member Helge Sten, also known as Deathprod,
Henriksen draws a rich and dense sonic landscape, capturing
the faintest breath of each of the instruments he plays,
taking contemplative music to intense extremes. Sakuteiki
was recorded in various locations, including two churches,
one situated in the heart of Oslo, the other in Lommedalen,
the mausoleum at the Emmanuel Vigeland Museum, also
in Oslo, used for its naturally long reverb, and a loft
apartment studio. All recordings were made on two tracks
using two microphones, with Henriksen and Sten
only using natural reverbs. Henriksen counterbalances
the warmth and tonal colour of his trumpet and flute
by introducing the rougher texture of an accordion (Inside
Tea-House) or an organ (Procession Passing),
adding an earthy edge to an otherwise airy soundscape.
Sakuteiki is everything but a conventional
album. By taking his music to incredible extremes, Arve
Henriksen offers a record that stands out all through.
His technique, polished with his work with some of the
most regarded contemporary jazz musicians, provides
the most dramatic background for his compositions.
5/5 |
