It sounds like Ingebrigt Håker Flaten and Håkon Kornstad have always played
the duo format together. In the album Elise, their interplay is natural, while at
the same time searching and open, with the room’s great acoustics acting as a
third musician. It’s hard to imagine a better way to take advantage of the dou-
ble bass’s and the saxophone’s sound and possibilities to unite—from colorful
multiphonics and soft moves with the bow via suggestive grooves to noisy tone
explosions. The music, consisting mostly of Norwegian hymns, is recorded in
a room with excellent acoustics at the new castle of Bjärka-Säby, south of Lin-
köping, Sweden, during two days in April 2008. Ingebrigt’s grandmother, Elise
Flaten, was a tradition bearer of a treasure trove of old hymns from Oppdal,
Norway, and her interpretations of the songs were recorded by the Norwegian
National Radio (nrk) in the 1970’s. Transcriptions of these recordings form the
basis of the album Elise. 
Having two jazz musicians interpreting hymns reminds one of Jan Johansson’s
classical album Jazz på Svenska (Jazz in Swedish), and though Jazz på Svenska
has never been a reference for the recording of Elise, there are similarities
between the both albums. However, Ingebrigt and Håkon are not nostalgic
in their interpretations. With their innovative playing, respect for tradition
and childish curiosity as to where the music will take them, they have created
an extremely dynamic and contemporary album, a sort of “Jazz in Norwegian
– 2008”! Keith Jarrett’s Death and the flower and the free improvisation Etter
Elise (After Elise) is also part of the album and, together with the hymns, they
create a natural whole.

Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (double bass) and Håkon Kornstad (saxophone and
flutonette) have established themselves as two of the most driven young
musicians on the worldwide jazz scene. For a long time now they have been a
leading part of the jazz scene in Norway through their frequent and consistent
co-operation with Bugge Wesseltoft and the record label Jazzland. The list
of great musicians with whom they have co-operated is extensive: Jeff Parker
(Tortoise), Pat Metheny, Dave Liebman, Mats Gustafsson, Anja Garbarek,
Joe Lovano, Raoul Bjørkenheim, Jon Christensen, Nils Petter Molvær, John
Scofield, Yusef Lateef, Bugge Wesseltoft, Joe McPhee, Tony Oxley, Tore Brun-
borg, Joshua Redman, Axel Dørner, Paul Lytton, Ken Vandermark, Michiyo
Yagi, and more…