On the Road Steinar Raknes

• 1 Just Like the Rain 05:39
• 2 City Clown 03:53
• 3 Always on the Road 04:32
• 4 Crush Me 04:20
• 5 Bob Along 04:20
• 6 The Deserter 02:37
• 7 Ravel Prelude 06:41
• 8 It is Easier 04:11
• 9 Filling My Own Shoes 04:19
• 10 Breaking up in Pieces 05:30
• 11 Better Days 03:23
• Total Runtime 49:25

Info for On the Road

Steinar Raknes is a creative bassist and vocalist who isn't afraid to go his own way.

As a jazz graduate of NTNU in Trondheim, he shocked the Norwegian jazz scene with the band «Urban Connection» which took the concept of jazz trios to new heights. In recent years, Raknes has steadily moved more towards the singer/songwriter segment. The Stillhouse concept, which is really a duo project with Unni Wilhelmsen, was extended with Per Oddvar Johansen on drums, Even Hermansen on guitar and Jørgen Mathisen on clarinet, soprano and tenor sax.

He's brought us along on wonderful journeys into his musical universe where his voice and double bass are the main elements. As a singer, he's developed a deep, lovely baritone and in his beautiful songs his voice really stands out.

Raknes has a nose for melodies, delicate lyrics and uses a simple yet harmonious language in his songs. However, interacting with creative musicians like Hermansen, the music takes a whole other turn. The sound shifts to a completely different colour and contributions from Mathisen take the music in surprising directions. When you also have one of the country's most responsive and creative drummers in the band, the soundscape is complete.

Witnessing the interaction between Unni and Steinar is truly wonderful. They've worked a lot together in the past and complement each other's voices and expressions. Raknes' music is in an open genre landscape with a touch of Americana, country, Nick Cave, Tom Waits, and a lot of other stuff.

Steinar Raknes, double bass, vocals
Unni Wilhelmsen, vocals
Even Hermansen, guitar
Erlend Slettevoll, keyboards
Paolo Vinaccia, drums
Mannskoret, vocals

Steinar Raknes
is one of Norway’s foremost jazz bassists and songwriters. With his fearless and explosive playing style, he is often compared with the legendary bassist and songwriter Charles Mingus. Raknes is recognized through his work as composer and musician in the award-winning jazz trio Urban Connection, and for collaborations with artists such as Chick Corea, Michael Brecker, Bobby McFerrin and Per Texas Johansson. After completing a Master of Arts (music) degree of jazz at NTNU in2001, he has collaborated in a large number of ensembles, including The Core, Ola Kvernberg Trio, SKAIDI, Kirsti Huke Quartet and Trondheim Jazz Orchestra. He is the leader of his own jazz group, the Steinar Raknes Quartet, “Tangos, ballads & more” and his own group STILLHOUSE where he sings and plays the double bass.

Raknes has created a unique way of playing the double bass while singing, inspired by various pop/rock/blues/folk/country In his project STILLHOUSE he sings and plays together with the American harp player Mickey Raphael (from the Willie Nelson band) and the Norwegian vocalists Solveig Slettahjell and Unni Wilhelsen.

This album contains no booklet.