TORD GUSTAVSEN PIANO | JARLE VESPESTAD | PERCUSSION | SIGURD HOLE | DOUBLE BASS

Norway's Tord Gustavsen came forth with a new and unique sound that commanded worldwide attention, an extraordinary achievement given the rich and well-developed history of jazz piano that preceded him. He focuses on lyricism within a stripped-down approach to music, where playing is gentle, yet robust; expression of melody is simple, yet sophisticated; and beauty and emotional intensity are united. He writes much of his group's material, memorable compositions that echo his days playing in church as well as his time with classical music, Scandinavian folk music and jazz.

The release of his eighth album for ECM Records,The Other Side, marks his return to the piano trio with arrangements of J.S. Bach chorales and traditional Scandinavian hymns. Joining him are bassist Sigurd Hole and his long-standing collaborator and drummer Jarle Vespestad. The elements of Gustavsen's work remain intact -- a paradoxical blend of simplicity, quietude, and sensuality built on the hymns of his youth, a Nordic kind of blues, and an instinct for composition. With the passage of a decade of creativity, he has come full circle to the piano trio but with a new perspective that, as ever, moves his music forward.