Folk

Following his critically acclaimed Night Driver, Ola Kvernberg returns with his brand new album, Folk. Once again....

Following his critically acclaimed Night Driver, Ola Kvernberg returns with his brand new album, Folk. Once again, Ola goes genre-bending, guiding his distinct style via fiddle and mandolin across 8 compelling musical portraits. So, "Folk" in multiple senses then: "Folk" as in the music of his roots, and "Folk" as in the people that inspire him. With tracks merrily diversifying within themselves, the idea of calling Ola's music exclusively by one generic name is an exercise in futility (not that some folk won't try!)

With Steinar Raknes on bass and Erik Nylander on drums, the music is based in strong rhythmic and melodic structures that reshape themselves and evolve through keen interplay between all three musicians. Swinging grooves like "Roland" and "John" hop their way through to a near ecstatic vibe led by Ola's superb soloing, while tracks like "Tale" and "Arvo" - the latter a solo piece - demonstrate a more contemplative side to life. The album's closer, "Oscar", shows a sharpened sense of shadowplay, mooching through a bluesy back alley of sound, yet retaining a classical intelligence, totally expressive, totally irresistible.