Artist
Paal Nilssen-Love
Title
Sticks & Stones
| Catalog id | Release date | Barcode |
| SOFA505 | 2001-05-31 |
Musicians
Paal Nilssen-Love - drums, percussion
Tracks
01 No way out II (7:16)
02 Snap (3:34)
03 Sweet and lovely (2:57)
04 Butterfly wings (2:39)
05 Gulebøy (2:29)
06 Dots (3:38)
07 Spots (3:52)
08 Fast colour (5:39)
09 B (6:46)
10 Hedda (1:51)
11 No way in (6:05)
About Sticks & Stones
Paal Nilssen-Love is one of the most active and most respected drummers in Norway today. In the latest years he has done some remarkable work with musicians such as Frode Gjerstad, Mats Gustafsson, Ken Vandermark, Jeb Bishop and Sten Sandell. After heaving played several solo concerts over last years he has now recorded his first solo CD for SOFA.
«sticks & stones» shows Nilssen-Loves dynamic and highly personal style using different drumkits and percussion.
Liner notes
Over the last couple of years I've played several solo concerts. Performing solo is a setting that I find both intriguing and challenging. The feeling of not having any one else to rely upon or relate to except yourself gives an enormous kick where a sense of time is completely open. This experience is also something I find interesting, when listening to solo recordings by musicians.
When SOFA asked me to record solo I thought of many ways to approach the project. Knowing the history of solo drum recordings laid down by Bennink, Lytton, Lovens, Oxley, Cyrille, Murray and Graves, I knew I had a challenge before me.
Eventually, I ended up with a plan for the recording that would include three different drumsets that I use. One is a stripped down kit consisting basically of hi-hat, snare, and cymbal, the second being the standard jazz kit, and the third, an extended kit with additional cymbals, bells, blocks etc.
On the date of recording, SOFA had hired a church that was said to be perfect for acoustic instruments. It was, and I found myself in a setting where I had to work with a room and its dynamics more than before. Therefore I had to omit some of the structures I had planned, however this gave me a chance to explore new ways of playing. I must say I enjoyed this strange feeling of playing solo in a church with all its connotations.
I wish to thank Ivar and Ingar at SOFA for their encouragement and for letting me record this CD.
Paal Nilssen-Love, April 2001, Oslo, Norway
Reviews
Hi-Fi News
«A young percussionist who has understood and absorbed Tony Oxley´s step beyond Elvin Jones, Paal Nilssen-Love is here recorded solo in Sofienberg Church in Oslo. The resonant acoustic surprised the drummer - used to clubs and studios - and he abandoned some of his material in order to explore it. What results is rich and detalied, a sly wit gently deflating any portentousness, with intimate vocal-mimickry from rim.shots and skull-hits. Anyone attracted to the speculative soundworld of Varèse´s lonisation or the work of Roger Turner will find this album fascinating. Thomas Hukkelberg´s recording is a hi-fi wonder.» -- read the whole review»
Cadence
«Paal Nilssen-Love is both clever and versatile in his approach to his drum kit.» -- read the whole review»
Jazz Review
«Frenetic certainly, but also kaleidoscopic and expansive music which taps into considerable resources of Dionysian energy.» -- read the whole review»
Chronic'art
«si Paal Nilssen-Love met à profit toutes les ressources de son instrument dans un jeu de sons fascinant.» -- read the whole review»
THE WIRE
«Nilssen-Love explores a restricted, a standard and an expanded kit, and little gets lost to the architecture. Solo drum albums are a matter of taste, but Sticks & Stones also has something to say about how context shapes improvisation.» -- read the whole review»
Jazz Weekly
«...exceptional sounds and disparate views of how to improvisations should be actualized.» -- read the whole review»
Aftenposten
«...kreativ bevegelighet av sjeldent godt merke.» -- read the whole review»
Dagbladet
«Forbilledlig eksempel på dynamisk musisering.» -- read the whole review»
PULS
«...som en av de virkelige få på denne kloden greier han å holde interessen hos undertegnde gjennom hele reisa.» -- read the whole review»
Dagsavisen
«Åleine demonstrerer han endå betre skilnaden mellom å slå på trommer og spele på dei, og som ein Max Roach eller ein John Christensen å dyrke trommespelet som kunstart.» -- read the whole review»