When Saturday comes it’s a jazz indie record night this week at Kings Place as the Norwegian label Hubro presents two bands from its roster.
“Label night" has a certain ring to it, you don’t hear that expression so much any more, do you? But that’s not all, as the bands in question are also very out-of-the-ordinary. Because, taking to the small stage in the agreeably contemplative atmosphere of Hall 2 in the York Way venue not far away from the recently ensconced Central St Martin’s art college, are the folk/improv ensemble 1982 with BJ Cole, Cole being the famed Enfield-born pedal steel player who ages ago was in country rock band Cochise, and who has appeared since on albums by a wide range of big name artists including David Sylvian and Elvis Costello. BJ appears alongside the integrated trio of hardanger fiddle virtuoso ECM artist Nils Økland; organist Sigbjørn Apeland; and drummer Øyvind Skarbø. 
Support is provided by the promising Moskus, and both bands have records out, the self titled 1982 with BJ Cole, and the Moskus release Salmesykkel, the trio’s gently loping arthouse debut released on CD and vinyl with a striking cover depicting assorted bits of slumbering statuary, and, um, a bicycle.
Very much still in their twenties pianist Anja Lauvdal, bassist Fredrik Luhr Dietrichson and drummer Hans Hulbækmo emerged initially from the Trondheim Conservatory of Music scene, and nestling on the Hubro roster, a subsidiary of Norwegian indie record company Grappa, a label that describes itself as cherishing the album as a “physical object”, now sit comfortably alongside such contrasting and complementary luminaries as the neo-doom inclined improv-rockers Splashgirl, and bassist Mats Eilertsen, best known for his tenure in the Tord Gustavsen Ensemble, and whose album Skydive got good reviews last year. Hubro has taste, and a bagful of ideas, and you will have too, very probably, if you find yourself in the audience when Saturday comes.
Stephen Graham
Moskus pictured top and 1982 with BJ Cole, above