Being There

Product Details

Artist : Tord Gustavsen Trio
Binding : Audio CD
EAN : 0602517235175
Label : ECM
Number of Discs : 1
Product Group : Music
Release Date : 2007-04-30
UPC : 602517235175

ASIN : B000NVL4EM

Track Listings for

Disc-1
1. At Home
2. Vicar Street
3. Draw Near
4. Blessed Feet
5. Sani
6. Interlude
7. Karosin
8. Still There
9. Where We Went
10. Cocoon
11. Around You
12. Vesper

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Editorial Reviews

The Guardian, (John Fordham), April 27, 2007

(4 stars) Gustavsen's tunes are hypnotically strong, and the integration of bass and drums is total.

Independent On Sunday, (Phil Johnson), April 29, 2007

(5 stars) The opener 'At Home' is a marvel; a gently drifting
bolero with a funk-undercurrent. Sublime.

Irish Times, (Ray Comiskey), May 18, 2007

(5 stars) It's saturated in the concentrated, spacious, nuanced
interplay that gives the trio's work such beauty and emotional power.

Eastern Daily Press, (David Banks), July 27, 2007

(5 stars) Every one of the 13 themes is a delight - perfect slices of understated lyricalism.

Album Description

Of all the Norwegian artists that ECM has introduced, pianist Tord Gustavsen must count as one of the least "Nordic" in musical temperament. If the contemplative component of his music and its quietude still reflect Scandinavian priorities, the manner in which he has sought and located connections to early jazz - especially the blues, gospel music, and the nexus of Caribbean music and New Orleans jazz - is entirely his own. The universality of the pianist's writing, the melodic hook-lines of his pieces and their deceptive simplicity, as well as a sense of easy, lilting groove has helped the music speak to a vast audience. Both the award-winning 'Changing Places' and 'The Ground' have been amongst ECM's best-selling albums of the past decade.

The new CD, recorded last December at Oslo's Rainbow Studios, is every bit as striking as its predecessors. Indeed, Gustavsen regards it as the third instalment of a trilogy, and it has equally gorgeous melodies by Tord and overflows with lyricism. Bassist Harold Johnsen contributes a beautiful tango-like piece while drummer Jarle Vespestad takes a more central role in the sound: the drums, as Gustavsen says, are crucial to the music - as audiences at the trio's recent live concerts can also testify.

Personnel: Tord Gustavsen - (piano), Harald Johnsen - (double-bass), Jarle Vespestad - (drums)

Customer Reviews

Consistently superb (2008-09-02)

An original album that spans from classic beauty to blues and funky notes. Once I got it into my CD player I did not remove it for a long time - one of those that finds of true treasue that happen once a year.....

Being There (2008-08-10)

This is no less and no more than the first two. The three seem to meld together and a luscious trio of trios results. I always hesitate on which one to choose and usually listen to all three (if I have the luxury of time), on the trot.

A new level of quiet rapture (2008-01-18)

"Being There" takes the quiet rapture of the trio's previous album (The Ground) to a new level. There are beautiful slow pieces that gradually unfold with paradoxically crystalline warmth (At Home, Draw Near, Sani, Still There), an intriguing angular piece (Karmosin) and three up-tempo numbers - the funky Blessed Feet, the Spanish-tinged Where We Went and my favourite, Vicar Street. Half of the track is a tense, urgent build-up that then resolves into a gorgeous yearning theme. I've seen some great drummers and percussionists in my time (e.g. Airto Moreira, Mike Shrieve of Santana, Zakir Hussein) and the trio's Jarle Vesperstad is up there with the best, but in his own distinctive way. In his hands a standard drum kit becomes a real instrument.What I love about the Tord Gustavsen Trio is that they show masterfully how improvised music can be melodically accessible without being schmaltzy and technically satisfying without degenerating into ego-tripping clever-clever stuff. It takes outstanding musicians to play such apparently simple music.This is another album from the trio that can appeal to people who like it "easy on the ear", but will richly reward more discerning music lovers.

From EST to Tord Gustavsen (2007-12-26)

About three years ago, stuck on a motorway in a blizzard for hours, I stumbled upon flicking through the radio channels, a concert by EST and was imediatly hooked. Having now bought all their CD's plus the video recording Amazon kept recomending Tord Gustavsen to me, what the heck I thought and bought "Being There" unheard.Thanks Amazon for forcing my hand.At first the music did not grab me, not foot tappingly funky like EST, another reviewer said "is it jazz" and I know what he meant. I don't know what it is either but after a few listenings it will really get ya. Isn't it strange how often the things that at first don't grab get to be more liked than some records you liked from first hearing.This is fantastic music you will become addicted and unable to take the CD out of your player be warned!

I'm there (2007-11-11)

This album is ace. I didn't like it at first, not at all. I thought it was just too slow, unremarkable and dull. But I'm really getting the hang of this now - gustavsen is a very lyrical piano player, and slow suits him. The compositions are tuneful enough to be played in a completely unhurried way.Apparently he plays in a church, and you can certainly hear some hymn and gospel influences in the tunes, as well as classical themes - some of the tracks sound like beethoven sonatas or schubert impromptus. There's some debate about whether this is really jazz or not - irrelevant of course, as it's really good. I'm going to order TGT's other two albums right now.

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