Valleys & Mountains RYMDEN feat. John Scofield

• 1 The Hike 07:40
• 2 A Walk in the Woods 05:37
• 3 Milam Bardo 02:56
• 4 RO 05:24
• 5 The Mountain 07:57
• 6 Song from the Valley 07:47
• 7 Himmel 06:34
• Total Runtime 43:55

Info for Valleys & Mountains

After their previous excursions into the outer cosmos - the highly acclaimed studio albums "Reflections and Odysseys", "Space Sailors" and the powerful live album "RYMDEN+KORK" - RYMDEN have returned to Earth with their new album, “Valleys and Mountains”. However, as one might expect from the trio of Bugge Wesseltoft, Magnus Öström and Dan Berglund, the music is not strictly earthbound - the inner cosmos, dreams and visions offer new spaces to explore, alongside bucolic rambles and treks. The instrumentation and techniques are once again diversified, the styles multiplied; yet all remains indisputably the music of RYMDEN.

There is a dual sense of nostalgia and hope for the future, a feeling of rediscovery replacing loss. There is an awareness of the natural world and our place within it, the part it plays in our lives, and how our lives are simply part of something greater than ourselves.

The homages to the natural world all share a childlike quality, a sense of joyful exuberance and freedom, unshackled from our materialistic digital world and its endless bombardment of unnecessary (dis/mis)-information. "The Hike" (by Wesseltoft) captures the many moods that excursions into natural landscapes create - the moments of revelation and wonder, exhaustion and replenishment - and features John Scofield on guitar, purposefully meandering wherever the path may lead. "A Walk in The Woods" and "The Mountain" (both by Öström) have a sprightly lightness that echoes Vince Guaraldi. The music does not seek to emulate nature's grandeur, but an gives an unequivocal yet humble expression of admiration for it. "Ro" (by Wesseltoft) is a meditative ballad, gently shuffling, sparingly decorated, filled with the tranquility of its title.

The expeditions to the interior world offer a much more sedate set of compositions, largely - and appropriately - more abstract. "Song From The Valley" (a shared composition by the trio) creates a new musical topography of atmospheric and textural elements, abstract, yet familiar, meditative, dramatic, peaceful. "Milam Bardo" (another trio composition) enters a melodic dreamscape, progressing on a steady staccato bowed bassline. "Himmel" (by Berglund) is a pensive, slightly melancholy piece, led by Berglund's bowed bass, where each of the trio apply the lightest of touches to their playing before ascending steadily to a driving yet atmospheric denouement that gently deconstructs towards silence.

Bugge Wesseltoft, piano
Magnus Öström, drums
Dan Berglund, bass
John Scofield, guitar

RYMDEN
With the Norwegian trio Rymden jazz has gained a new super group. Because with Bugge Wesseltoft, Dan Berglund, and Magnus Öström you have three of the most important protagonists on the Scandinavian jazz scene. Pioneer, sound magician and keyboardist Wesseltoft caused a furore with his formation New Conception of Jazz and bassist Berglund and drummer Öström made history with the influential group e.s.t. (Esbjörn Svensson Trio). Rymden’s music contains three elements: melancholy and atmospheric compositions, dramatic rhythms, and a virtuoso playing technique of the highest class. With their debut album Reflections And Odysseys the trio captures influences from modern jazz, classical music, film scores, and even rock. The collaboration of these three men leads to a fascinating synergy of the highest level.

Bugge Wesseltoft
“There is no musician or artist in the world that is not inspired by others. However, the important thing is to let inspiration develop, to work towards finding a unique means of personal expression.

This is what I believe and is what I have always tried to achieve … to find my own thing, my own voice. I dont want to be another carbon copy of any great musician, past or present: I don’t see the point of that. There have been so many good things done before, but one must find ones own sound.” Bugge Wesseltoft

Since the early 1990´s Bugge Wesseltoft has made an impressive, truly post-modern transistion from his ECM nordic jazz traditions. Playing and recording together with the likes of Jan Garbarek, Sidsel Endresen, Terje Rypdal, Nils Petter Molvaer, Jon Eberson to forming his own innovative New Conception Of Jazz group and exquisite label “Jazzland Recordings”.

Wesseltoft is multi-decorated with critics prizes for creating a unique, fresh blend of “modern jazz”.

This album contains no booklet.