{"id":683,"date":"2016-10-28T06:00:38","date_gmt":"2016-10-28T06:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/2016.bjf.rs\/en\/?p=683"},"modified":"2016-10-28T06:00:38","modified_gmt":"2016-10-28T06:00:38","slug":"tord-gustavsen-dzez-je-globalizovana-ali-i-veoma-viseslojna-muzicka-porodica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/2016.bjf.rs\/en\/tord-gustavsen-dzez-je-globalizovana-ali-i-veoma-viseslojna-muzicka-porodica\/","title":{"rendered":"Tord Gustavsen: \u201cJazz is a globalized and yet very multi-layered musical family\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

The pianist and composer Tord Gustavsen blends melancholy of European North, Scandinavian spiritual tradition and ESM art philosophy into music of magnificent beauty. Following a trilogy of albums done by a trio, he included an experienced saxophonist Tore Brunborg into the group, which added to the significant, lighter note to the music. This quartet researches, integrates and serves \u201cthe Holly Trinity\u201d of emotional intensity, elegance and meditative musical breath, paving the way of the new jazz art in 21st century. Tord Gustavsen and his Quartet will play at Dom omladine Beograda (Belgrade Youth Center) on October 28<\/span>th<\/span>, within the program of 32<\/span>nd<\/span> Belgrade Jazz Festival.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

You have an impressive career as a jazz musician, with the specific emotional intensity, melancholy and beauty as your unique artistic expression \u2013 what were the main influences and inspirations on your professional and personal path?<\/b><\/p>\n

Tord Gustavsen:<\/b> Well \u2013 my first and perhaps most basic influence was my father; he played the piano a lot at home when I was a child, and we improvised music together from when I was 2-3 years old. We played hymns, lullabies, and made up songs together \u2013 I am so grateful for being brought into music this way, instead of beginning with a classical training focusing on playing the \u2018right\u2019 notes and avoiding mistakes rather than expressing yourself.. Then, further on, a wide range of huge influences and inspirations have come my way \u2013 impossible to name them all, but the musicians and singers I\u2019ve played with over time are among the most important; especially \u00a0Jarle Vespestad, Mats Eilertsen, Kristin Asbj\u00f8rnsen, Solveig Slettahjell, Tore Brunborg, and lately Simin Tander. Then, of course, there are the main pianist Keith Jarrett and Bill Evans, plus James P. Johnson (!), Scandinavian Jon Balke and Jan Johansson; plus the great performers of melody and emotion in the jazz canon; especially Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Wayne Shorter, Arve Henriksen.. And, not to forget: Bach, Ravel and Schostakovitch. And folk musicians from different traditions… wow, so many..<\/span><\/p>\n

You were and are working in a different ensemble formations \u2013 how different settings of a band, (un)presence of an instrument or a vocal are affecting the creative process and changing the music?<\/b><\/p>\n

Tord Gustavsen:<\/b> I feel that there is a clear line going through all my playing and my projects \u2013 one of melodic and contemplative focus; of searching for stripped-down essentialism and un-sweetened beauty; and of finding the spaces where sensual, hymn-like groundedness and explorative openness can coexist. <\/span><\/p>\n

Then, of course, the role of the piano changes slightly between settings with or without voice, with or without saxophone \u2013 but the basic attitude towards playing is the same. I cherish interplay and accompaniment just as much as I value solistic playing. And the musicians and singers I work with all share the basic humble imperative of \u2018listening more than you play\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

Your latest album “What was said” was published this year, in cooperation with an amazing singer Simin Tander and drummer Jarle Vespestad, and brings, in a way, some new moments in your music: electronics and synth bass elements. Tell us please more about this new project.<\/b><\/p>\n

Tord Gustavsen:<\/b> This project has been a very important journey for me; musically, personally and also spiritually. We developed a repertoar with Sufi-like interpretations and translations of ancient Norwegian Christian hymns, into the Afghan language Pashto (which was the mother-tongue of Simin Tander\u2019s father). The hymns that I grew up with \u2013 that are so important for my musical and spiritual foundation \u2013 are set into a field of dialogue and mantra-type singing which makes them relevant way outside traditional Christian theology. We emphasis what <\/span>unites <\/span><\/i>liberal open-minded spirituality across religions, instead of looking for things that separate us. <\/span><\/p>\n

Then, musically, I have started using \u00a0some electronics the last couple of years, which I never thought I would\u2026 Adding subtle synth-textures, drones, bass-synths etc. has become an important part of my instrument. In the project with Simin and Jarle, I play bass this way instead of having the normal double bass in the band \u2013 opening up for both more transparency and space when I play only the piano, and for more deep-end sounds and actually louder and more present bass than in the acoustic band, when I do go down there. It\u2019s been a really fruitful development for me, and I feel I have also grown a lot as a pianist through this. I have taken some of the electronics into the acoustic quartet (where we do still have the traditional double bass), but then in a slightly different and perhaps less insisting way.<\/span><\/p>\n

You were guest teacher at the Institute of Musicology, University of Oslo \u2013 how did you manage in pedagogical work, was it hard for you to transfer your knowledge, experience and music philosophy to young colleagues?<\/b><\/p>\n

Tord Gustavsen:<\/b> Teaching advanced students was very interesting and rewarding, but I did not do it for many years \u2013 I was touring too much to have time for it.<\/span><\/p>\n

You have studied psychology, sociology and religion \u2013 what is your personal feeling of strings that are connecting these fields with music? You wrote a theoretical thesis “The Dialectical Erotism of Improvisation” \u2013 can you tell us something about it.<\/b><\/p>\n

Tord Gustavsen:<\/b> The thesis is about the fundamental paradoxical challenges that are parallel or analogues in intimate life and in making music. Challenges between the need for emotional intensity and control or clarity; the need for being in the moment and at the same time seeing the bigger picture; the urge for immediate gratification and the necessity of building tension and distributing energy over time.. in fields like this I feel that relationship theory and musicology can learn a lot from each other, and my thesis was a contribution to establishing this theoretical conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n

There is something specific in the Scandinavian jazz scene, and its unique artistic expression and emotional vibe it brings to the audience. What would be yours description and definition of it?<\/b><\/p>\n

Tord Gustavsen:<\/b> To me, the differences between projects coming out of Scandinavia are more striking than the similarities. But still, I guess it is fair to say that many of my Scandinavian colleagues \u2013 at least the Norwegian ones (not so much the Swedish and the Danish I have to say) \u2013 share a certain taste for minimalism and a sense for playing with <\/span>space <\/span><\/i>as a constitutive element in the music; trying to go for what feels essential instead of playing everything you know all the time..<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This year’s slogan of the Belgrade Jazz Festival is “Planet Jazz” – do you think that jazz around the world is the same, universal language of music, or are there differences? How do you see and feel jazz in 21st century?<\/b><\/p>\n

Tord Gustavsen:<\/b> Too big a question for an interview\u2026 but anyway: jazz is a globalized and yet very multi-layered musical family. Everything from New Orleans parade bands to hard core atonal free impro belong there, and there is no point trying to set strict borders towards the jazz that is perhaps just as much \u2018world music\u2019, pop-jazz, contemporary classical music with impro, etc.. we can all learn from each other \u2013 and the most important thing is to try to play what feels true, authentic and essential \u00a0here and now, given the unique location each and everyone of us are given in the world with our upbringing and our influences and or experiences in life. When people do this, every sub-genre is highly valuable. Both the players mainly rooted in American jazz traditions, and the players \u2013 like us \u2013 who have our roots just as much in folk traditions, European classical music, church music etc. and bring these in touch with \u2018jazz sensibilities\u2019 belong to the scene and can play with each other and appreciate each other deeply.<\/span><\/p>\n

This will be your second visit to Belgrade and Serbia, what can you recall from the previous time you played here? Are you familiar with some jazz (or other) musicians from our country?<\/b><\/p>\n

Tord Gustavsen:<\/b> I\u2019m really looking forward to coming to Belgrade again \u2013 it is a long time since last time; then it was with my old trio with bass player Harald Johnson, who sadly passed away so young a few years after this. Unfortunately, I don\u2019t know much about the local music scene in Serbia \u2013 would really like to take it in and listen.<\/span><\/p>\n

What program will you play for the audience at the Belgrade Jazz Festival?<\/b><\/p>\n

Tord Gustavsen:<\/b> We will play pieces from several of my albums, but in new versions. Plus also some brand new compositions. And; the great Norwegian drummer\/percussionist Rune Arnesen will be playing with the quartet instead of our normal drummer this evening, so it will be a unique line-up for Belgrade, bringing out the groovy aspects of the music even more than what often happens. \u00a0So, perhaps somewhat less minimalistic, but still very focused and with meditative qualities.<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/youtu.be\/WzhSPnh2bFI<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sorry, this entry is only available in Serbian.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":517,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/2016.bjf.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/683"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/2016.bjf.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/2016.bjf.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/2016.bjf.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/2016.bjf.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=683"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/2016.bjf.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/683\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":684,"href":"http:\/\/2016.bjf.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/683\/revisions\/684"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/2016.bjf.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/517"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/2016.bjf.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=683"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/2016.bjf.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=683"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/2016.bjf.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=683"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}