Frie tøyler – Erlend Viken Trio

Trio debut from prizewinning fiddler

Fiddler Erlend Viken from Oppdal is a member of the Earlybird Stringband, and has won awards for his duo recordings with Aslak Brimi. He has toured with Frikar Dance Company, Majorstuen and Aasmund Nordstoga. In 2012 he won the prestigious INTRO-folk prize, after which he formed the trio that is now releasing its debut recording. The concept of “power trio” is used most often with regard to rock, but can equally well apply to the music presented here. Viken has studied with some of Norway’s foremost folk musicians: Per Sæmund Bjørkum, Håkon Høgemo, Nils Økland and Tore Bolstad. Guitarist Juhani Silvola studied together with Viken at the Norwegian Academy of Music. They have played together in a duo format and in the bluegrass band Earlybird Stringband. “In 2012 we agreed that we would start a band, and I was surprised when Juhani suggested that we ask cellist Jonas Bleckman to join us, because I wasn’t even aware that they knew each other.” Viken had met Jonas at a festival in Sweden in 2008, and they have played together on a number of occasions. “Jonas is a terrific cellist,” says Viken. Jonas Bleckman throws himself into whatever he is involved with, and does so with a real air of authority and conviction.