Masqualero Explained

Masqualero
Origin:Oslo, Norway
Genre:Jazz
Years Active:1983–1991
Label:Odin, ECM
Current Members:Arild Andersen
Jon Christensen
Tore Brunborg
Nils Petter Molvær
Jon Balke
Frode Alnæs

Masqualero (1983–1991) was a Norwegian jazz group. Originally named "The Arild Andersen Quintet",[1] [2] the group soon changed its name to Masqualero[3] in celebration of the Wayne Shorter composition.[4] Masqualero recorded four albums, three of which were awarded the Spellemannsprisen.[5] The group were considered an important influence on the evolution of Nordic jazz[6] [7] and have subsequently become known as a 'Norwegian supergroup'.[4] [8]

Biography

Conceived by Arild Andersen (double bass) and Jon Christensen (drums) as a vehicle for their talents, the ensemble assumed a group dynamic with the inclusion of Jon Balke (keyboards), Tore Brunborg (saxophone) and Nils Petter Molvær (trumpet), all of whom contributed compositions to the group's recordings.[4] The group dynamic was considered by Andersen to be an important component of Masqualero's sound, with a keen focus on musical interplay such that no single player was a soloist or leader.[9]

Initially called 'The Arild Andersen Quintet',[10] the group name of 'Masqualero' was one that listeners inadvertently selected for the group. Interviewed in 2022 about the change of group name, Andersen commented:

Balke left the group following the release of Bande À Part in 1986 to pursue his own musical projects, to be replaced by Frode Alnæs (guitar) on Masqualero's third album, Aero.[11] The group performed as a quartet for their final album, Re-Enter, recording with neither a pianist or guitarist.[12]

As frequent recipients of the prestigious Spellemannprisen,[13] [14] [15] Masqualero are influential for being an early distillation of the Nordic or Scandinavian jazz style,[7] a style which has continued to be developed by its original members through other musical projects[16] and cultivated by Manfred Eicher's ECM Records more generally.[17] Masqualero's recorded output remains highly influential among present-day jazz performers, including Tord Gustavsen[18] and Petter Frost Fadnes.[19] Critical appraisal of Masqualero reflects this, with their impact frequently deemed to be "seminal"[20] and "ground breaking".[21]

In recent interviews Andersen has expressed regret that the band changed its name to 'Masqualero', since both he and Christensen were well known in Scandinavia and even internationally. Recognition of Masqualero's music was therefore lower than it should have been, while the name also gave a false impression of the group's music. While performing in Santa Monica, Andersen has noted that audience members, who were unfamiliar with the group's music, thought Masqualero was a "Mexican salsa band".

Honors

Discography

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Lea . Nick . Arild Andersen – A New Group & a Positive Affirmation . 2 June 2023 . Jazz Views . November 25 . [Jazz Views] . 2022.
  2. Web site: Arild Andersen . ECM Records . 9 June 2023.
  3. Web site: Masqualero Biography - SNL.no. 18 June 2024 . Store Norske Leksikon (in Norwegian)
  4. Web site: Kelman . John . Masqualero: Masqualero . AllAboutJazz . Elite Cafemedia . 18 January 2022 . 8 January 2015.
  5. Web site: Tucker . Michael . Obituary: Jon Christensen . Jazz Journal . 19 January 2022 . March 2020.
  6. Book: Jenkins . Todd S. . Free Jazz and Free Improvisation . 2004 . Greenwood Press . 9780313333132 . 12 . 19 January 2022.
  7. Book: Nicholson . Stuart . Is Jazz Dead? Or Has It Moved to a New Address . 2014 . Taylor & Francis . London . 9781136730931 . 210 . 19 January 2022.
  8. Bares . William . Sounds of Silence: The Politics and Poetics of Norwegian . American Music Review . 2011 . XLI . 1 . 20 March 2023.
  9. Web site: Biermann . I.J. . Andersen . Arild . ECM50 - 1991 Arild Andersen on Masqualero . YouTube . 20 March 2023 . 2019.
  10. News: Grillo . Tyran . MASQUALERO: BANDE À PART (ECM 1319) . 2 June 2023 . Between Sound And Space: ECM Records And Beyond . January 05 . 2012.
  11. News: Grillo . Tyran . MASQUALERO: AERO (ECM 1367) . 2 June 2023 . Between Sound And Space: ECM Records And Beyond . January 16 . 2012.
  12. News: Grillo . Tyran . MASQUALERO: RE-ENTER (ECM 1437) . 2 June 2023 . Between Sound And Space: ECM Records And Beyond . June 14 . 2012.
  13. Web site: Spellemannprisen . Masqualero vinner Årets Jazz (Spellemannprisen 1983) . 7 June 2017 . Spellemannprisen [YouTube] . 9 June 2023.
  14. Web site: Spellemannprisen . Masqualero vinner Årets Jazz (Spellemannprisen 1986) . 3 April 2018 . Spellemannprisen [YouTube].
  15. Web site: Spellemannprisen . Masqualero vinner Årets Jazz (Spellemannprisen 1991) . 18 May 2017 . Spellemannprisen [YouTube] . 9 June 2023.
  16. Book: Medbøe . Haftor . 2019 . Howell . Tim . The Nature of Nordic Music . Sage . 1st pub. 2019 . 123–138 . Chapter 7: Cold commodities: Discourses of decay and purity in a globalised jazz world . https://napier-repository.worktribe.com/output/2406865/cold-commodities-discourses-of-decay-and-purity-in-a-globalised-jazz-world . 9781315462851 .
  17. News: Porter . Christopher . The Sound of Young Norway . 2 June 2023 . JazzTimes . May 09 . Madavor Media, LLC. . 2019.
  18. News: Glasser . Brian . Life-changing albums: 'Bande À Part' by Masqualero [Tord Gustavsen] ]. 2 June 2023 . Jazzwise . January 11 . MA Music, Leisure & Travel Ltd . 2019.
  19. Book: Frost Fadnes . Petter . Improvisational Architecture . Doctoral thesis, University of Leeds . 2004 . University of Leeds . Leeds (UK) . 2 June 2023.
  20. News: Conrad . Thomas . Arild Andersen: Burning in the Cold, Dark North . 9 June 2023 . JazzTimes . April 01 . Madavor Media, LLC. . 2009.
  21. News: Nicholson . Stuart . Tore Brunborg: Slow Snow . 9 June 2023 . Jazzwise . June . MA Music, Leisure & Travel Ltd . 2015.
  22. Web site: Spellemannprisen Arkiv . 2 September 2019 . Spellemannprisen . 9 June 2023.

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