DANIEL HERSKEDAL
A tuba playing jazz musician might have the right to describe his
sound as unique – after all, tuba soloists in jazz are as rare as hen’s teeth.
But when we describe Norwegian tuba player and composer Daniel Herskedal
as
unique, we’re not referring to his choice of horn. In the last few years this
young musician has proved he has the facility, vision and musicianship to push
the boundaries of his instrument, technically and sonically, further than
anyone has done so. The result , as demonstrated by his new album ‘Slow
Eastbound Train’, is a spellbind- ing and mesmerising sound worthy of a vast
international audience.
In Norwegian musicians Eyolf Dale (piano) and Helge Andreas Norbakken
(percussion) as well as the Trond- heim Soloists, Norway’s most celebrated
string orchestra, Daniel has the perfect vehicle to demonstrate his facility as
both instrumentalist and composer. And ‘Slow Eastbound Train’ is a sublimely
beautiful and melodic album full of diverse influences and unique soundscapes
that entirely fulfils both Daniel’s promise and the full potential of this
group.
Based in Copenhagen, Herskedal first came to our attention with the
release of his superb album ‘Neck of the Woods’, a duo with saxophonist Marius
Neset, in which his technical brilliance and combination of diverse influences
firmly established his reputation on the European jazz scene as a world class
musician and one to watch. Since then he has toured extensively throughout
Europe with Django Bates, Trondheim Jazz Orchestra as well his own projects
City Stories, Listen, Dagane and Magic Pocket.
Beneath the melodic, sublime, elegant themes that make up the pieces
on ‘Slow Eastbound Train’ there’s a rhythmical energy in the string writing as
well as the virtuosity of his tuba playing that gives the album its wonderfully
varied and vibrant feel. This is the sound of a master arranger and musical
thinker at work.
However we describe Daniel Herskedal, his work and his virtuosity,
there’s no doubting that a major artist has arrived. It’s rare to find an
artist with fresh ideas, the technical facility to push boundaries and the
maturity
to
understand how to express this in the all-important listening experience, but
with Daniel we are seeing the emergence of just such a one, We can only sit
back and admire the result: a beautifully executed album that will continue to
inspire and move us long into the future.
~ Edition Records
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