Yngvil Vatn Guttu

01.30.15 - Amazon.com

Nordic Nu Jazz meets New York vibe - gorgeous sounding, true original contribution to jazz repertoire
By Grady Harp
HALL OF FAME - TOP 100 REVIEWER - VINE VOICE
5.0 out of 5 stars
Born in Oslo, Yngvil grew up surrounded by classical music--Bach, Händel, and Schubert were among the first composers to inform her burgeoning mind. In fact, it was Maurice André's definitive traversal of the Haydn trumpet concerto, along with the classic strains of Louis Armstrong that inspired the balance of note-for-note, classical exposition and soulful elaboration to which she always aspires. By age 12 she added piano and guitar to her toolkit, playing both with skills beyond her years. She responded passionately to each influence that came her way and was always willing to push the boundaries of exploration, such that by her teens her interests were maximally eclectic. This period was one of rich musical pathways, leading her to rediscover the folk music of her homeland, as well as the Nordic cries of saxophonist Jan Garbarek and, later on, the more recent stylings of Chris Botti. These and more have followed her through years of transient living spent honing her own inimitable signature.
Since 2002, Yngvil's fondness for cold climates has carved a special place in her heart for Alaska, where she continues to enrich the local art scene with vision and outreach. Alaska has emboldened her output in kind. As composer, Yngvil spans styles like she spans continents: that is, with a sense of perpetual motion. Whether writing for bands, orchestra, choir, stage, or screen, she has developed an intuition for compelling melodies and original harmonic structures, blending influences as diverse as blues, classical, Latin jazz, experimental, and nu-jazz into her own brand of genius. Yngvil is, above all, a traveler. Dividing her time between homes in NYC, Alaska, and Oslo, she gathers a variety of life experiences in her unique net of geographies. She has lived and worked in London, Glasgow, Toronto, and New York.
The ensemble is Yngvil Vatn Guttu,Trumpet, Alex Da Silva and Joe Goehle, bass, Mareike Wiening, drums, Renato Diz, piano, Matt Di Giovanna and Zulfugar Baghirov, tenor saxophone, Nick Grinder, trombone.
The tracks are as follows: On the Crosswalk; Blue North For 4;Broadway Bomb; Love Carry Me; Meander; Cortisol; Sov; Plan B; Blue North for 2; 1741; Sorgenfri (for K)
Style, class and incredibly fine ensemble work make this showcase for the talent of Yngvil Vatn Guttu wholly memorable. - Amazon.com - Grady Harp