Hildegunn Øiseth Quartet

A joyous jazz journey into beautiful landscapes led by a goat horn! Trumpeter and goat horn player Hildegunn Øiseth is well-traveled, searching, fearless with confidence, and this is reflected in her music. She is considered one of the most distinctive voices in European contemporary jazz, and on her new album Meandering we hear the quartet at its most radical and at the same time most liberated. Øiseth's regular ensemble of the finest in jazz, Espen Berg, Mats Eilertsen and Per Oddvar Johansen, here devote themselves fully to free improvisation – a natural step for a band that has long stood for stylistic openness, sonic curiosity and a blend of different musical traditions from all directions. On the wonderful album, the music is created by listening and reacting in the moment – a musical conversation with deliberate openness in the exploration of sound and form from four who have played together for a long time. The music moves fluidly between duo, trio and quartet constellations, expanding and dissolving, changing direction while remaining deeply connected: at times sparse and fragile, at other times expressive and intense. Tonight you can throw away the compass and let familiar faces show the way! Hildegunn Øiseth - trumpet, goat horn, Espen Berg - piano, Magne Thormodsæter - bass, Per Oddvar Johansen - drums Photo: Juliane Schütz