Frode Gjerstad is one of Norway's most influential and hard-working jazz musicians, beginning his improv career in 1968. Over the years he has worked with young, vital musicians and let them develop and evolve within uncompromising hard-hitting improvisational music. Frode Gjerstad Trio was formed in 1998 , originally with Øyvind Storesund on bass , and has been active ever since. This new version of the trio has released three albums , and has already toured the U.S., South America and Australia / New Zealand. All music is completely improvised, without any arrangements in advance .

Frode Gjerstad - sax / clarinet , Paal Nilssen -Love - drums and Jon Rune Strøm - bass

Ecstacy is Raoul Björkenheim's new Finnish quartet, and how exciting it is! Björkenheim's guitar work is easily recognizable and highly appreciated. In particular, his ECM recordings of the 90s positioned the musician on the world map . This latest band comprises of two veterans, including a drummer of an international calibre in Markku Ounaskari , and two new Finnish stars. Saxophonist Pauli Lyytinen from, among others, the band Elifantree, has proven to be a strong voice on several fronts, and bassist Jori Huhtala by no means takes a back seat . Full of confidence , he has played in some of the most exciting young Finnish bands in recent years.

The music can be described as chromatic extended free-tonal. We think it is exciting , fresh , energizing! Ecstatic is perhaps the word we 're looking for!

Raoul Björkenheim - guitar, Pauli Lyytinen - saxophone, Jori Huhtala - Bass and Markku Ounaskari - drums