Espen Berg Trio - Fjære

Espen Berg Trio is an award-winning piano trio from Norway. Outselling concert halls in Tokyo, Guangzhou, Kyoto and Hong Kong, the trio is already making a mark way outside their home country and was declared an important new voice in the crowded field of post-E.S.T. trios by Jazz Journal (UK) in 2019. Their music might bring associations to Brad Mehldau, Keith Jarrett, Shai Maestro or Tigran Hamasyan, but is primarily a personal addition to the legacy of the piano trio and the evolution of the Nordic jazzscene, lead by a combination of strong melodies, rhythmic complexity, immense technical abilities and a playful interaction.

Espen Berg Trio is releasing its fourth album on Odin Records. Fjære consists of seven new compositions by Berg and was recorded during a time where being together has been difficult. As a counterweight to this and as a symbol of togetherness and friendship, the trio has invited three guests artists for the first time: Mathias Eick (trumpet), Hanna Paulsberg (sax) and Silje Nergaard (vocal). In many ways, the album could be considered a natural evolution to the trio’s already established qualities, but it also features several surprises, and a highly detailed production made by Michael Scott Hartung at Propeller Music Division.

Right before the pandemic, Espen Berg Trio made a solid impression on the jazz business gathered at jazzahead! 2019 in Bremen. Their third album, Free to Play, was listed in Downbeat as one of the best releases of that same year, also earning great reviews in BBC (4/5), UK Vibe (5/5), Jazz Journal (4/5). In 2022 the trio will play release concerts in Norway, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, UK, Greece and Ukraine

Espen Berg is an internationally renowned pianist and composer. He was awarded Norway’s largest jazz scholarship, JazZtipendiatet, at Molde Int’l Jazz Festival in 2016, resulting in a commissioned work for Trondheim Jazz Orchestra. Espen is also known for his collaboration with Silje Nergaard, Hildegunn Øiseth and Seamus Blake. He writes songs with an exceptionally strong identity, which in turn get subject to a profound interpretation by Bárður and Simon. Together, the trio creates a highly engaging soundscape, with smiles, temper and a playing on the very highest level.