Christian Wallumrød Ensemble
Outstairs
ECM ***
The six-piece Ensemble has four other albums already in the ECM catalogue although it’s hard to make like-for-like comparisons as the line-up has changed considerably over the years, with only drummer Per Oddvar Johansen remaining from the first album, Sofienberg Variations, recorded in 2001. Norwegian folk and church music, classical music and free improvising circle each other relentlessly on Outstairs, yet Wallumrød’s approach bypasses each of these genres quite cleverly. Overwhelmingly this recording belongs more in the classical contemporary domain stylistically than in jazz, though, it’s fair to say. Of the 11 tracks, all composed by Wallumrød, the violin and hardanger fiddle of Gjermund Larsen are an important combination along with Tove Törngren’s cello on the second and best track the folksy ‘Bunadsbangla’, as is Wallumrød’s use of cerebral touches throughout. Yet the picture the ensemble paints, the trumpet of Eivind Lønning and tenor saxophone of Espen Reinertsen certainly more reticent in the overall sound, is fundamentally distant even deliberately alienating: the looking-within almost deriving from minimalism. Per Oddvar Johansen’s drum patterns in places add a sense of the medieval to the music that tantalises considerably throughout the album, but in the end it’s all rather severe music, a narrative that never quite resolves itself and keeps the listener at arm’s length. Stephen Graham
Released on Monday 8 July