Zanussi Five

Three of Norway’s leading sax players –Rolf-Erik Nystrøm, Eirik Hegdal and Jørgen Mathisen plus bass player Per Zanussi and drummer Gard Nilssen play an energetic and surrealistic mix of beautiful melodies, improvisation, grooves and acoustic noise.

Jørgen Mathisen, one of the top young players in Norway, adds a rough, rock-like feel to the group. This contrasts Rolf Erik Nystrøm’s elegant, contemporary- music-like playing and Eirik Hegdals melodic-lyrical baritone. This unusual horn section alternates between creating virtuosic cacofony, funky riffs, percussive soundscapes and beautiful layers of sound .

“This music is vibrant, fast, and very modern. It is expressionistic, replete with saxophones that sigh, moan, honk, and howl. At the same time, it bursts with energy and swing. It's also utterly unpredictable.”
-Marc Meyers, All About Jazz

Together with one of Norway’s most talented jazz drummers, Gard Nilssen, they give life to Per Zanussi’s compositions which sound like a cross between free jazz, fifties exotica, contemporary improv, funk, film music and afrobeat.

The band projects a tremendous energy and joy of playing, resulting in ecstatic audiences at their concerts.

Since the beginning in 2001 Zanussi five have played concerts in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Japan, USA and Canada as well as Molde jazz festival, Nattjazz festival, Maijazz festival, Porijazz, Bordeaux Jazz Festival, Rochester Jazz Festival, Edmonton and Vancouver Jazz Festivals.

Zanussi Five release their two first records "Zanussi Five" and "Alborado" on the Swedish Moserobie Label run by sax player Jonas Kullhammar, receiving brilliant reviews.
www.moserobie.com.

On the 12th of April 2010 Zanussi Five released their third album "Ghost Dance", also on Moserobie!


Some reviews of ”Alborado”:

"...This is luxuriant, contemporary jazz.." (5/6 points)
Terje Mosnes, Dagbladet, Norway


"...some of the most exciting Norwegian jazz..."
Roald Helgheim, Dagsavisen, Norway


"...A worthy successor to last year's critically acclaimed album..." (5/6 points)
Arild Andersen, Aftenposten, Norway


"...one of the most original acoustic jazz bands at the moment..." (5/6 points)
Tor Hammerø, Nettavisen, Norway


More info and pictures at www.perzanussi.com
www.myspace.com/zanussi5 and www.moserobie.com Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.