Rune Grammofon

This congregation of keyboardist Ståle Storløkken, bassist Nikolai Hængsle Eilertsen and drummer Torstein Lofthus is really something: individually coming from musical sources as diverse as free-jazz, metal-oriented RIO and indie pop-rock, collectively they created this magnificent jazz-prog monster that the world knows as Elephant9.

As can be inferred by their name, The Scorch Trio is a high energy improvisational jazz band that touches of fusion, rock 'n' roll and free jazz. Consisting of Raoul Bjorkenheim on guitar, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten on bass and new member Frank Rosaly on drums and percussion, the group mixes high energy blowouts with abstract soundscapes to create a compelling blend of music.

Absolutely stunning album from an extraordinary guitarist and musician. With his third album Stian Westerhus is not only challenging and stretching the limits of his instrument but also comes up with a beautiful and different sounding piece of music that has more in common with modern contemporary music than just being a leftfield ”guitar” album.

On their fourth album, counting the limited vinyl only ”Live At The BBC”, Elephant9 join forces with Reine Fiske, the quite excellent Swedish guitarist from Dungen, The Amazing and Träd, Gräs och Stenar, for yet another heavy slice of mindblowing modern rock´n´jazz psychedelia.

Here, the core Fire! trio expands to 31 members for a 40-minute avant-big-band blowout reminiscent of Carla Bley, Keith Tippett´s Centipede project or San Rivers´ Crystals. An ensemble this large could so easily produce pure chaos, but their boundless energy is harnessed and directed in astounding, dynamic ways.