The Squid's Ear Magazine


Cortex (Hoyer / Nilssen / Alberts / Johansson): Legal Tender (Clean Feed)

Seriously joyful and consequential "avant-garde party music" from the Norwegian Cortex quartet of Ola Hoyer on double bass, Gard Nilssen on drums & percussion, Kristoffer Berre Alberts on saxophone, and Thomas Johansson on trumpet, in their 6th album of irresistible, upbeat free jazz.
 

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product information:

Personnel:



Ola Hoyer-double bass

Gard Nilssen-drums, percussion

Kristoffer Berre Alberts-saxophone

Thomas Johansson-trumpet


Click an artist name above to see in-stock items for that artist.




UPC: 5609063005592

Label: Clean Feed
Catalog ID: CF559
Squidco Product Code: 29793

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2020
Country: Portugal
Packaging: Cardboard Gatefold
Recorded at Amper Tone Studio, in Oslo, Norway, on Novemeber 20th, 21st and 22nd, 2019, by Bard Ingebrigtsen

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"Free jazz? Well, not exactly. This quartet from Norway took that tradition as a basis, but the original African on American free jazz never sounded like this. The magazine Jazzwise chose better words to describe Cortex's blasts of energy: "Avant-garde party music".

Instead of the pathways to spiritual ascension, or the revolt against the Man, Thomas Johansson, Kristoffer Berre Alberts, Ola Høyer and Gard Nilssen play music to party to and to be joyful, and that's also political and sacred in these times of suffering, hatred and disbelief. The composed themes are simple and with no ornaments, giving to the improvised developments all the needed space and all the complexity we like to hear in creative music. The pieces are intense, dramatic and noisy, inviting you to move your body and constantly defying your mind and your soul.

Do you remember when Ornette Coleman and Don Cherry, or John Zorn and Dave Douglas, played together? Cortex is that next thing you were waiting for..." on Clean Feed Records

Also available on vinyl LP.

Artist Biographies

"Ola Høyer like others of the erudite new generation of Norwegian musicians is equally at home in a wide variety of musics including classical, jazz and experimental rock, and brings this wealth of experience and acute musicality into a very fluid and rich improvisational style. He is increasingly in demand touring regularly in Japan and the USA with his group Cortex and many other collaborations."

-Cafe Oto (https://www.cafeoto.co.uk/artists/ola-hoyer/)
4/28/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Gard Nilssen (born 24 June 1983 in Skien, Norway) is a Norwegian Jazz musician (drums) and composer, and member of the bands Bushman's Revenge and Puma.

Nilssen was educated on the Jazz program at Trondheim Musikkonservatorium (2003). He was voted this year's young jazz musicians in 2006 with the group Puma. Otherwise Nilssen is very active in bands like Bushman´s Revenge, Lord Kelvin, and Heidi Skjerve Kvintett.

Nilssen was chosen to represent Norway in the artist development program Take Five, a music developer program promoted by the London-based concert promoter Serious."

-Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gard_Nilssen)
4/28/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Bachelor of performing jazz from Jazz Academy, Trondheim, NTNU, 2008.

Master of performing jazz/improvised music from Norwegian Academy of Music, finish 2016.

Written about Kristoffer Berre Alberts

"Alberts' hearty saxophone is a center piece of the music. Both brash and agile, he switches from post-bop lines to caterwauls in a moment's notice." av Paul Ascquaro. Freejazzblog

"Saxophonist Kristoffer Berre Alberts has mastered a personal tonal language" - Eyrel Hareuveni, All about jazz"

-Kristoffer Alberts Website (https://kristofferalberts.com/about/)
4/28/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Thomas is born and raised in Skien,Telemark. With a bachelor degree from the University of Stavanger, and Masters from The Norwegian Academy of Music, he is a part of the strong young Norweigan jazz elite. He has done extensive touring in Scandinavia, Europe, Japan and USA, with both his own projects and as a sideman in several other bands.

His main project is Cortex, which is a quartet consisting of Thomas, Kristoffer Alberts, Ola Høyer and Gard Nilssen. Cortex is a Norwegian band which plays enerergetic jazz of the finest brand. With over one hundred live perfomances and four highly acclaimed albums, they position themselves as one of the strongest additions to the Norwegian jazz scene.

Thomas is also active in several other projects, such as: All Included, Friends & Neighbors, Paal Nilssen-Love Large Unit, and Scheen Jazzorkester.

Thomas currently lives in Skien, working as a freelance trumpet player and composer. Thomas has in recent years toured and played at several festivals and clubs at home and abroad, with both his own and others projects. For projects and livedates, check the pages on the menu at the top of the page."

-Thomas Johansson Website (http://www.thomasjohansson.no/?page_id=22)
4/28/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



1. Anthem For The Uneasy 7:27

2. Standby 6:07

3. GTM 6:27

4. I-95 4:46

5. 10-4 6:31

6. Blue Gromka 7:35

7. Loose Blues 10:34

Related Categories of Interest:


Clean Feed
Improvised Music
Jazz
Free Improvisation
European Improvisation, Composition and Experimental Forms
Quartet Recordings
Staff Picks & Recommended Items
Squidco's Clean Feed 50% Sale

Search for other titles on the label:
Clean Feed.


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The Squid's Ear Magazine

The Squid's Ear Magazine

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