What Was Said

Tord Gustavsen's new trio project expands the sonic palette of his musical expression. The fruitful exchange with drummer Jarle Vespestad, based on a long-standing collaboration, continues, while simultaneously introducing the enchanting German-Afghan vocalist Simin Tander. Together, they explore the Norwegian church music tradition in a highly unorthodox way. Gustavsen explains: "For the repertoire of this new project, Simin and I collaborated with an Afghan poet. Together, we translated and shaped a number of Norwegian hymns, with which I grew up in Norway, into Pashto." Gustavsen considers these hymns his own 'standards,' which have influenced his spiritual and musical existence far more profoundly than the classic jazz canon. In addition to Pashto texts, Tander also interprets English-language verses by the Persian mystic Jalaluddin Rumi (1207-73) and the American proto-beat poet Kenneth Rexroth (1905-82). The combination of Tander's voice with Gustavsen's piano playing and subtle electronics creates an emotional power that transcends linguistic boundaries. With their program "Hymns and Visions," the Gustavsen/Tander/Vespestad Trio toured European concert halls and clubs in early 2016. The recording "What Was Said" was made in April 2015 at Oslo's Rainbow Studio, produced by Manfred Eicher.