Ingebrigt Haker Flaten and Scandinavian Jazz

Anonymous75966 · #1 06-30-2006, 03:01 PM

Who? He's the bassist for The Thing - free-jazz / garage-rock power trio with Mats Gustafsson on saxophones and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums.

Saw them twice at the Vancouver fest this week. This was probably the loudest, sickest jazz I have ever seen. They played tunes by Albert Ayler, Sabbath, PJ Harvey (!), Lightning Bolt (!!) ... and so on.

This was the bass player's rig:

Old German bass > Schertler > SVT. Oh yeah.

He was also playing Olivs with the highest action I've ever seen - dude let me try out his bass after one show and I could barely play it. He was unbelievably fast and aggressive, considering the setup, sort of like Peter Kowald playing rockabilly.

Put it this way: if you like the Bad Plus, this band would eat them for breakfast.

Also saw another Norwegian band here called the Zanussi Five, three saxes, bass and drums. Really cool, intricate writing and free playing, killer musicians.

Haker Flaten and Nilssen-Love also play in Atomic (not on tour right now though), which is turning into one of my favourite newer groups, kind of like a really hopped-up Dave Holland Quintet.

If the Scandinavians are doing for jazz what they did for metal, we're in for a treat ... buwahahahahaha ...

bassist14 · #2 06-30-2006, 03:08 PM

he has a own website:
http://www.ingebrigtflaten.com/

damonsmith · #3 06-30-2006, 03:57 PM

I am not into the Thing or the Bad Plus - both way to 'mersh for me..
Håker-Flaten is a really beautful player though. His solo cd is great.
Gustafsson also has a lot of really fine more "serious" projects like duo with Barry Guy for one.

Anonymous75966 · #4 06-30-2006, 04:14 PM

Yeah, I think The Bad Plus just ... isn't very ... good. That covers stuff always walks a fine line. But The Thing is at the very least a really fun live band. I watched them from about 6 feet away in a small club, everyone in the front got covered in spit. Sort of like when I saw Henry Rollins back in the day and he dripped sweat on everyone. The next day I woke up all buff and covered in tattoos, with an insatiable thirst for black coffee ...

I've only seen Ingebrigt with Atomic and The Thing, so I'll look for that solo disc - now I'm very curious what he does when it's not super loud.

Mats is pretty much a mofo no matter who he's playing with - never heard the Barry Guy duo but I've got a trio record with Raymond Strid drumming, which is great. He played about 12 shows in Vancouver with different folks, the guy must be bionic.

Dig Wilbur Ware · #5 07-07-2006, 11:02 PM

I saw Ingebrigt with Nilssen-Love, Kjell Nordeson, Jeb Bishop, and Ken Vandermark a few years ago and was very impressed with his very soulful, physical approach to soloing as well as his time feel. He had some kind of mini 10" amp of sorts that sounded very natural. I have his cd with The Thing doing their Don Cherry material, and while well done, actually quite removed from the Live Experience. He's really a great performer and a very warm, approachable young cat.

damonsmith · #6 07-07-2006, 11:19 PM

I saw that group as well, amazing band. One of Vandermark's best.
Kjell is living in the bay area part time and is such a fantastic drummer.

damonsmith · #7 07-07-2006, 11:20 PM

the Scorch trio is really Awesome as well.