Crossing Currents Little North

• 1 Friend 05:42
• 2 Into Insanity 03:39
• 3 Hold On 06:26
• 4 I Hope We Meet Here Again 03:16
• 5 Ross 06:43
• 6 Say 04:35
• 7 When We Break 07:02
• 8 Heart Plant 04:00
• Total Runtime 41:23

Info for Crossing Currents

It is ten years since Little North released their debut recording, Yonder. The Danish piano trio’s new album Crossing Currents marks that anniversary and sees them fulfilling long-cherished dreams: not only does the new recording feature American vibraphone innovator and co-producer Joel Ross, it was also made in hallowed New York surroundings, The Bunker Studio in Brooklyn. And before entering the studio, pianist Benjamin Nørholm Jacobsen, bassist Martin Brunbjerg Rasmussen and drummer Lasse Jacobsen made sure that they took time to immerse themselves in the New York jazz scene and to draw inspiration from it. “For us, Joel Ross is quite simply the representative of that world,” says Jacobsen. “His approach is intellectually and spiritually clear, but also emotionally so. It is respectful, and he appreciates wonderful melodies. He has a particular kind of energy that doesn’t look back. And that is absolutely what we wanted on our album.”

That energy also suited the trio’s second guest, Swedish saxophonist Hannes Bennich, whom Little North have known since their early days. “We had already worked with Hannes on other projects,” says Lasse Jacobsen. “In this case, he acted as a kind of "sparring partner" for Joel Ross. He brought his own energy, he’s a true virtuoso, and has real knowledge and affinity for the music that Ross stands for. At the same time, we needed someone who could step straight into a recording situation with confidence, and could contribute a musical voice that is entirely his own. Hannes was exactly the right person!”

Crossing Currents creates a very special atmosphere which is defined by two things: the juxtaposition of contrasting characters and the interplay of European and American influences. A memorable hallmark of Little North’s ACT debut While You Wait was that they created a special magic by opening up their musical connectedness – grown and developed through their many years of working together – to a soloist. On that earlier occasion, it was the Norwegian trumpeter Oscar Andreas Haug. But here they have taken that a stage further: whereas Haug can be seen as an extension of the same musical world which the trio inhabit, Crossing Currents is about opening up to different energies, venturing out of one’s comfort zone, and being inspired by the spirit of the creative cauldron which is New York.

The musicians’ openness towards one another, their mutual respect and regard are palpable and run like a strong thread through the album. Crossing Currents is an encounter on equal terms, sustained by alertness in listening to each other, and an intensity that can often be conveyed with no more than a few notes, harmonies or textures. This is particularly the case with the amount of space which the two harmony instruments – piano and vibraphone – allow each other. Pianist Benjamin Nørholm Jacobsen often lays the harmonic foundation, whilst Joel Ross plays finely nuanced melodies over it, frequently interwoven with the lines of saxophonist Hannes Bennich. And when the energy level increases, it happens collectively and with a shared intensity.

Crossing Currents is never about one individual taking up a lot of space, but rather about balance, about sharing. The creative drive is strong, and yet there isn’t any pressure. There are different currents – but they flow together.

Lasse Jacobsen, drums
Martin Brunbjerg Rasmussen, double bass
Benjamin Nørholm Jacobsen, piano
Joel Ross, vibraphone
Hannes Bennich, alto saxophone

Recorded 19-20 November 2023 at The Bunker Studio, Brooklyn, NYC
Recorded by Nolan Thies
Mixed by August Wanngren
Mastered by Sofia von Hage and Thomas Eberger at Stockholm Mastering
Produced by Little North
Co-produced by Joel Ross

Little North
is Lasse Jacobsen (drums), Martin Brunbjerg Rasmussen (double bass) and Benjamin Nørholm Jacobsen (piano).

Their music balances melodic beauty with intuitive improvisation, inviting audiences into a world where simplicity and depth coexist.

With an impressive artistic output of 6 full length albums since 2020, the trio has firmly established themselves as a singular voice on the European jazz scene. Working and identifying first of all as a band, a collective, all members are composers and draw inspiration from many different styles and genres. As a result of their work and curiosity, both as a group and as individuals, every album is exploring a different musical territory. By keeping the trio at the core of their work, Little North pushes creative boundaries by inviting carefully selected guest artists into their universe. Albums like “Familiar Places” and “While You Wait” exemplify this approach, where the trio’s cinematic and Nordic qualities are reimagined through the lens of their guests, resulting in music that feels both familiar and entirely new.

The upcoming album “Crossing Currents” marks a pivotal chapter in their journey. In November 2023, the trio traveled to New York, bringing new compositions and their Nordic sound, and they recorded the album with two outstanding voices of today’s jazz scene: vibraphonist Joel Ross and saxophonist Hannes Bennich.

The result is a compelling meeting of musical worlds, where Copenhagen, Malmö and New York merge into one fluid, expressive language. Expanding on the trio’s signature interplay and collective storytelling, the album unfolds with openness, energy and a strong sense of transatlantic dialogue. Or, in the band’s own words: “What you hear here is a testament to that journey: the crossing and merging of musical streams.”

Booklet for Crossing Currents