Orbo won the Norwegian Grammy Award for the album "High Roller" with ORBO & The Longshots in 2008, and for the song "Forget What I Said" with Noora Noor in 2009. After 12 years of working with his band, the time has now come for his solo debut.
Orbo & The Longshots
The Norwegian rock-and-roll band The Longshots was founded by Ole Reinert in 2000, and has since that time released several albums that were recorded all over the world, from Hardanger in Norway to the Sun Studio in Memphis, USA. In 2008 they won the Norwegian Grammy Award for their album "High Roller". Orbo toured in Norway continuously together with his band members, from Svalbard in the north to Kristiansand in the south, and everything in-between. But after 12 years, the time has come to release a solo album – with lyrics in Norwegian.
One of Norway’s best songwriters and vocalists
Ole Reinert Berg-Olsen has contributed to a number of Norwegian albums, both as a performer, songwriter and producer. He has been described as one of the nation’s very best songwriters vocalists. Addittionally, he is also an active MOT ambassador (www.mot.no). His new album "Steingard" is a tribute to Norway and examines the time we live in. It is being released on the International Women’s Day – intentionally.
Self-composed songs
The first song in the album is "København", with Ole Reinert himself performing on all the instruments apart from the harding fiddle which is played by Øystein Fosshagen. The song is about the searh for "the other life", which you always feel coexists with the one you are living now. The song can also be understood as the norwgian people’s dream regarding the Scandinavian metropolis, both historically and in more modern times.
"Midnattsol" is a duet performed with Steinar Albrigtsen, Monika Nordli, Øystein Fosshagen (Gitarkameratene) on the mandola/violin, and Magnus Skylstad on drums. The song combines the mythical, northern and the traditional norwegian together with the famous "lost" love topic. It sates that the lesson learned is the same no matter whether you are young and naive, or grown-up and experianced. Musically, it explores the terrain somewhere between folk, bluegrass and country.
In his own words: "I love Norway. It is the world’s most majestic and wonderful country. Though I’ve spent much of my working life traveling taround, there is still a lot that I have not seen. This album is about Norway."
