Shining (Nor)
The press dropped many names when trying to place Shining´s previous album on the musical map, from The Mars Volta and Slayer via King Crimson and Mahavishnu Orchestra to Henry Cow, This Heat, Ornette Coleman, Ligeti and Messiaen. One thing they all agreed on was the striking originality of this young group who had gone through a radical transition from starting out as a postbop jazz quartet. With ”In The Kingdom Of Kitsch You Will Be A Monster” they tried to squeeze in as much as they could, but masterful editing and production from Kåre Chr. Vestrheim made it all stick together in a very convincing way. Vestrheim is also the producer of this album.
Multi instrumentalist, writer and mainman Jørgen Munkeby (26) is, like many of his contemporaries from a young generation of Norwegian musicians, not content with sticking to one genre but listens to and draw inspiration from several places, something that is as evident with ”Grindstone” as it was with it´s predecessor. Just witness how they move between complex riffing, filmic soundscapes, jazz, classical and modern composition.
Munkeby was a member of Jaga Jazzist since their first album in 96 (yes, he joined Jaga at the age of 16) and left the band a few years ago. He is also playing with a couple of other bands and writes music for film, theater and dance. Drummer Torstein Lofthus (28) is one of the most used session drummers in Norway and has played with a number of local pop acts. Andreas Schei (26) played on Grindstone. He replaced Morten Qvenild after the Kingdom album, and is also a former Jaga Jazzist keyboard player.
The new live band has two new members: Even Helte Hermansen is Norway's young free-jazz guitar mastermind. He feels as natural with Pantera's "Vulgar Display Of Power" and Meshuggah's "Catch Thirty Three" as he does with John Coltrane's "Meditations" and Ornette Coleman's "The Shape Of Jazz To Come".
Andreas Ulvo has the exellent technique of a clasically trained pianist, along with the harmonic knowledge and the rhythmic accuracy of a skilled jazz musician. He brings us both the Wohltemperierte Klavier and the Bitches Brew.
Personnel on last album:
Jørgen Munkeby: Guitar, sax and various instruments
Andreas Schei: Keyboards and various instruments
Torstein Lofthus: Drums and various instruments
Morten Strøm: Bass and various instruments
Live band personnel:
Jørgen Munkeby: Sax, guitar, Akai EWI and vocals
Andreas Ulvo: Synths and keyboards
Even Helte Hermansen: Guitars
Torstein Lofthus: Drums
Morten Strøm: Bass
Tracks:
In The Kingdom Of Kitsch You Will Be A Monster, Winterreise, Stalemate Longan Runner, To Be Proud Of Crystal Colours Is To Live Again, Moonchild Mindgames, The Red Room, Asa Nisi Masa, Psalm, -... .- -.-. ...., 1:4:9, Fight Dusk With Dawn
Said about the previous album:
Strikingly original. Colossal (Pitchforkmedia)
One unholy blizzard of noise (The Wire)
A strong, fresh statement (Stylusmagazine)
Hugely rewarding listening (Grooves)
www.runegrammofon.com
www.shining.no
www.myspace.com/gninihs
