It is no coincidence that Helge Hurum is the first artist, together with Svein Finnerud Trio, to be released in the series of unreleased recordings from the Norwegian Broadcasting Bureau archives (NRK). Hurum has been one of the most important composers and musicians on the Norwegian jazz scene the last 40 years, but his important works and recordings has been poorly documented. Few other musicians can say they have been a part of the early be-bop scene in Oslo, made music for the cult children TV series Pompel og Pilt, been bandleader for the National Radio Big Band for 20 years and for the EBU Big Band twice, had an octet with Arild Andersen, Jon Christensen, Calle Neumann, Jan Garbarek, Roy Helvin, Bernt Steen and Jon Christensen and written a handful of symphonies for the Oslo Philharmonic.
This CD focuses on Hurum´s compositions recorded in the NRK Radio and TV studios in the 1970´s. The tapes we found included the amazing and never-before- released-compositions Huldredans, Spectre, This Time Oslo, Latin Dynamics and Ongura that can be described as being in the meeting point between jazz, classical and Norwegian folk music. You can hear the inspiration from Gil Evans arrangements, Gustav Mahler melodies, Miles Davis Bitches Brew LP, Tito Puentes rhythms and Myllargutten; the result being highly original with an very unscandinavian warm and rhythmic sound. Helge Hurum is truly a hidden gem from the Scandinavian jazz scene and it is time that he got his shine.
Working for the NRK opened up great possibilities for Hurum as he got free studio and rehearsal rooms and was able to hire Norway’s best jazz and avant-garde musicians to record his compositions. And the line up on this CD is so amazing you have to think twice if you heard right: Arild Andersen, Svein Christiansen, Jan Garbarek, Frode Thingnæs, Calle Neumann, Karin Krog, Erik Andresen, Bernt Steen, Bjørn Johansen, Egil Kapstad, Bjørn Kjellemyr, Jon Christensen, Nipe Nyrén, Harald Bergersen and Terje Bjørklund are all present, making it one of the most impressive lineups ever on a Norwegian jazz release.
The CD also contains a video file of Helge Hurum performing the 20 minute long unreleased composition Vision- a jazz symphony, with studio musicians in 1971. A 12-page booklet with never before seen photos from the studio sessions and liner notes are also included. |