Upstairs in a Tent

Norwegian folk educator and multi-instrumentalist Tellef Kvifte has been a prominent figure in his native music scene for some years now – a passionate teacher, a restlessly inquisitive learner, and unafraid to challenge conventions while honouring tradition. This is the second album from his quartet featuring Magnus Wiik on guitar, Åsmund Reistad on bass and Knut Kvifte Nesheim on drums. Tellef himself contributes taragot – a type of soprano saxophone common to Eastern European folk. This is music deeply evocative of soaring, ancient landscapes – a shifting backdrop of post-bop jazz draped like a blanket over Tellef's beautifully melodic sax. By turns playful, powerful and brooding, the quartet project their sound through an intricate network of light and shadow, casting spellbinding audio patterns upon the mind. The playing is top-notch throughout, and there's more than enough variety to keep the listener entertained.