Fresh and open music, delicate and sensitive to space, is created when drummer Thomas Strønen and Ayumi Tanaka reappear in a new trio with clarinetist/singer/percussionist Marthe Lea. Weekly meetings over two years at the Royal Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo allowed the musicians to embark on shared journeys of discovery. "We moved freely between contemporary classical, folk, and jazz, depending on our inspiration," explains Strønen. "Sometimes very quiet and minimalist—playing together created unique experiences." The debut album, recorded at Radio Studio Lugano and produced by Manfred Eicher, captures this spontaneous atmosphere. With the exception of the title track, which is based on a traditional Norwegian melody, the music on "Bayou" was created collectively in the moment.
