Closeness II Ellen Andrea Wang

• 1 August 05:12
• 2 Hummingsong 04:48
• 3 I Like London In The Rain 03:16
• 4 Lands Herlighet 05:01
• 5 Du Høie Fryd 02:35
• 6 You 03:54
• 7 Villa Bjørk 01:56
• 8 I Need Your Love 04:31
• 9 Flyte Rundt 07:07
• 10 Mainz 05:01
• Total Runtime 43:21

Info for Closeness II

This band has garnered international recognition for their musical interplay and ever since their debut album they have played around 100 club concerts/festivals in Europe, headlined jazz festivals such as Athens Jazz Festival, Moldejazz and London Jazz Festival. Performed on the BBC live radio station, the NRK (Norwegian broadcasting) program and the band's vinyl topped lists among the best-selling vinyls in Norway when it was released.

Now the band´s sequel to the successful debut album Closeness is here. It is an album about relationships. The entire album was recorded in Wang's pink house and she says:

“I've always loved to rehearse in my kitchen at home. The bass sounds great in that room and I like the idea of putting everyday life into art or art into everyday life. To record an album at home has always been a dream of mine, surrounded by familiarities. Studio technician Marcus Forsgren joined in and we called our musician friends to borrow equipment. We recorded the music in my house, me in the kitchen, Rob and Jon in the living room, a session that was in a truly DIY spirit. It all became a unique experience that shaped and colored the music. A reinforcing "Closeness" expression that is about the close relationships with people I love and to places that have influenced me as a person."

Ellen Andrea Wang is one of the leading musicians of her generation.

She has created her own musical universe and has emphatically proved that you can write hits and still have both feet in jazz. She has received multiple Norwegian Grammy awards, Composer Awards, was Artist in Residence at Moldejazz (2021) and has collaborated with musicians such as Sting, Manu Katché, Ben Wendel, Marilyn Mazur and Bugge Wesseltoft. She is also a member of the critically acclaimed group GURLS.

With a sound that is both melodious, catchy and vital, composer and songwriter Ellen Andrea Wang mixes styles in unique ways, and she has her own ability to create moods that touch both the heart and the soul. To help create atmospheres, she has with her the British shooting star Rob Luft on guitar (John Surman, Django Bates) and the Swedish, meritorious drummer Jon Fält (Bobo Stenson trio). Through good interaction, they share the desire to take the audience on an unforgettable musical journey where the music will be allowed to breathe.

Ellen Andrea Wang, double bass, vocals
Rob Luft, guitars, background vocals
Jon Fält, drums, percussion, background vocals

Recorded 17th-19th October at Villa Bjørk, Norway by Marcus Forsgren
Mixed by Marcus Forsgren at Studio Paradiso, Oslo
Mastered by George Tanderø

Ellen Andrea Wang
Born and raised in Norway, Bassist and singer Ellen Andrea Wang has been a powerful force in Jazz and beyond, distinguishing herself as a truly inventive artist that blends styles in unprecedented ways. From collaboration with Sting, Manu Katché, and Marilyn Mazur, to performances at major Jazz Festivals, to her appearance with the vocal Jazz Group GURLS, to her own projects Pixel and the Ellen Andrea Wang Trio, Wang has consistently sought to tastefully blend Jazz and Pop in new ways. Her compositions and performance balance the the lyrical with the rough, the acoustic with the electric, resulting in a unique modern sound.

Ellen Andrea Wang’s third studio album, Closeness, features Wang on double bass and vocals, with Rob Luft on guitar and Jon Fält on Drums. In what now seems prescient, the album is a an adventurous mix of traditional spirituals, soothing in their delivery, longing and personal compositions, and two carefully selected covers from Ornette Coleman (Lonely Woman) and Pat Metheny (This Is Not America). The connection between the musicians is quite evident as they approach each song with patience and absolute care for the art.

"A commanding presence in any ensemble she plays in, her soft tone and vocal precision are always counterbalanced with heavy and assertive grooves from her double-bass, interlocking with drummers, jazz, pop and groove alike. (The Guardian)

This album contains no booklet.