Here’s two from Kjetil Mulelid that need to be on your radar

 

So, lately, I’ve been addicted to the music of Kjetil André Mulelid.  Previously, I’ve written about the project Wako & Oslo Strings (Modes for All Eternity) collaboration.  Here are two other albums the pianist has lent his magic to.

 

Kjetil Mulelid Trio – Not Nearly Enough To Buy A House

This is a piano trio recording to get lost in.  The melodies are open doors that draw you in, and once inside, you discover that it’s more wide open than anything you could imagine.  The trio of pianist Kjetil André Mulelid, double bassist Bjørn Marius Hegge and drummer Andreas Winther explore every facet of those crisp melodic statements, and the sensation is one of roaming far and wide, and experiencing the passing of time only when the trio suddenly returns to the opening melody.  Was the piece three minutes long?  Fifteen minutes?  More?  The track specifics will never sync up to the lingering impression.

The Kjetil Mulelid Trio works with mediums that are equally divided in influence between the Nordic Jazz of a Ketil Bjørnstad as it is the NYC approach of a Brad Mehldau.  There’s a harmonic atmosphere generated that brings cohesion to the melodies and context to the rhythms.  And it’s why music keeping to a peaceful demeanor resonates with a strength to shift the tides.  Even those rare times when the trio kicks up a little dust with a brisk tempo, as they do on “Leaving Home,” that sense of peacefulness retains its impact.

Just a gorgeous album that I’ve been quite addicted to for a little while now.  Highly recommended for those weekends when the sky is full of rain and lazing the day away as it comes down is exactly how you want to spend your time.

Your album personnel:  Kjetil André Mulelid (piano), Bjørn Marius Hegge (double bass) and Andreas Winther (drums).

Released on Rune Grammofon.

Available at:  Bandcamp | Amazon | eMusic

 

Kjemilie – Bakkekontakt

Bakkekontakt are variations on a love song.  There’s as often a bit of wistfulness as there is a pang of hope, and the weight of heavy emotions doesn’t settle in long before a lightheartedness breaks through.  With the Kjemilie trio of vocalist Emilie Storaas and violinist Håkon Aase , Mulelid approaches the music with a different melodic perspective.  Whereas on Not Nearly Enough To Buy A House, it was deep dives into the melody, but with Bakkekontakt, it’s brief glimpses of a wide array of melodic stills.  And when viewed in the context of the ephemeral nature of love, these fleeting images present them in their truest form.

A solid first impression has grown into a minor addiction, and I find myself listening to this album quite often.  You should, too.

Your album personnel:  Kjetil André Mulelid (piano), Emilie Storaas (vocals) and Håkon Aase (violin).

Released on Ora Fonogram.

Listen to more of the album on the artist’s Soundcloud page.

Available at:  Amazon | eMusic