Vocalist Karin Krog and guitarist Jacob Young present jazz standards.
Karin Krog
Karin Krog made her appearance on the Scandinavian jazzscene in the early 60s and has since then worked in most countries in Europe, Russia, China, Indonesia, Australia, Japan and the US. In the 60s she worked with musicians like Jon Christensen, Jan Garbarek, Arild Andersen and John Surman. Sharing a mutual interest in electronic music Krog and Surman recorded an album in 1978, ”Cloudline Blue”, and they have worked in duo during the past 20 years. They recorded “Such winters of Memory” and “The Nordic Quartet” for ECM; “Freestyle” for the Odin label. They produced “Bluesand” For Meantime records, a label Krog started in 1987. “Bluesand” won the Norwegian Grammy “Spellemannsprisen”in year 2000, as the jazz CD of the year. Krog finds working with Surman a great challenge because it includes live electronics as well as acustical pieces like only saxophone and voice. Krog has also in the recent years worked with pianist Bengt Hallberg and Pianist/organist Nils Lindberg with whom she did a churchconcert in Thomaskirche in Leipzig as part of the jazzfestival 2000. One of the strongest recent albums we’ve heard form Karin Krog is Seagull; a release that reunites Karin with old accompanist John Surman who’s playing saxes, and directing the larger orchestra Bergen Big Band behind the vocalist. In October 2005 Karin Krog releases the long awaited compilation CD “Sweet Talker: The best of Karin Krog. Celebrating her 50th year as an artist in the entertainment industry, it is also an homage to her life-long work as a jazz innovator which very few artists – international or otherwise – can match. Awarded The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, First Class (2005) by the King of Norway, given for “outstanding service to the country and humankind”, she is only the second jazz musician to ever have been bestowed this prestigious honor.
Jacob Young
Jacob Young is a guitarist and composer that has worked at many musical scenes in the country. He is a participant in a new generation of Norwegian musicians that play modern jazz and write their own pieces in order to create a unique and personal style. Educated at The New School / Jazz Studies in Manhattan where he studied with the legendary guitarist Jim Hall (private and ensemble) as well as Richie Beirach, and Ken Werner, (1991-1993). Studies in New York were devoted to learning the standard jazz repertoire as a startingpoint for a broader and more historic understanding of improvised harmonic music within Western culture. Studies were completed with the granting of a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Music. Thereafter followed a sojourn as a freelance jazz musician in Manhattan until 1995, when Jacob returned home to Norway in order to complete his Civil Service requirements. In 1995, the debut solo CD album This Is You was released. Bendik Hofseth produced the album for NORCD. The record album received excellent reviews and a lot of attention in the Norwegian media when it was released. The follow-up release entitled Pieces of Time came out in 1997, on the Curling Legs label. This album also received extremely good reviews by the press in Norway. The Jacob Young Band toured Norway and performed in Sweden and Denmark.
