The Ground Tord Gustavsen Trio

• 1 Tears Transforming 05:34
• 2 Being There 04:17
• 3 Twins 04:58
• 4 Curtains Aside 05:15
• 5 Colours of Mercy 06:10
• 6 Sentiment 05:35
• 7 Kneeling Down 05:49
• 8 Reach Out and Touch It 05:49
• 9 Edges of Happiness 03:08
• 10 Interlude 02:04
• 11 Token of Tango 04:12
• 12 The Ground 07:17
• Total Runtime 01:00:08

Info for The Ground

Of the Norwegian artists that ECM has introduced over the years, pianist Tord Gustavsen must count as one of the least “Nordic” in musical temperament. If the contemplative component of his music and its quietude still reflect Scandinavian priorities, the manner in which he has sought and located connections to early jazz – especially the blues, gospel music, and the nexus of Caribbean music and New Orleans jazz - is entirely his own.

'The Ground' reveals a stronger sense of purpose and a greater conceptual rigour than 'Changing Places' , the trio's debut album. Without sacrificing the clear-edged melodic sensibility that can already be considered one of the hallmarks of Gustavsen’s writing, the musicians are better able to do improvise within the structure of the pieces. An immediate popular success, 'The Ground' topped Norway's pop charts in its second week of release.

'Gustavsen is a pianist of poetic cast, an exceptionally lucid soloist with a sure sense of melodic structure and an often astonishing imagination. Together with bassist Harald Johnsen and drummer Jarle Vespestad, who follow the precise contours of his compositions with unflappable taste, the three have produced an album rich in inner meaning and nuance.' (Stuart Nicholson, Jazzwise)

'The group here features Harald Johnsen on bass and Norwegian chill-out group Supersilent’s remarkable drummer Jarle Vespestad. Again, too, the music has something of the Svensson trio’s knack for simple but haunting, hook-based themes delivered as a close three-way embrace, though at a lower dynamic level and in a more slowly evolving way. Gustavsen’s tunes sound like a mix of romantic-classical rhapsodies and very slow soul ballads given a little jazzy push whenever they risk getting becalmed. … Gustavsen may not play many notes but he does make them all count, and Vespestad’s patient, multi-textured drumming is hypnotic listening.' (John Fordham, The Guardian)

Tord Gustavsen, piano
Harald Johnsen, double-bass
Jarle Vespestad, drums


Digitally remastered from the original analog tapes

No biography found.

Booklet for The Ground