The Frode Gjerstad Trio Plays the Sugar Maple This Saturday POSTED:: January 21, 2010
FILED UNDER::
Concerts
FILED UNDER:: Concerts
Milwaukee’s Sugar Maple (441 E. Lincoln) is a continuous host to musicians of the avant garde realm. This Saturday, the home of both craft brews and untraditional and innovative jazz welcomes the Frode Gjerstad Trio (Frode Gjerstad on alto saxophone and clarinet, Paal Nilssen-Love on drums and Nick Stephens on double bass).
The Sugar Maple sums it up in this preview: “Gjerstad and Nilssen-Love have for many years collaborated as duo, trio, quartet and the large ensemble CTO. For the upcoming US tour in January, 2010 they team up with British bass player Nick Stephens. Stephens and Gjerstad have worked together in various line-ups, mostly with Calling Signals, a group which has featured Louis Loholo amongst others. Nilssen-Love is the most recent drummer and it was obvious that a trio was due.”
Gjerstad, from Norway, broke away from his musical roots in his homeland to play improvisiational music with other likeminded artists, namely in Britain. His long-time collaborations with John Stevens was one that lasted for over ten years, and introduced him to some of Britain’s best in the genre. Gjerstad runs his own label (Circulasione) and subsequently, lead a group of Norweigan musicians Circulasione Totale Orchestra, (its moniker borrowed from his label). Eventually CTO became the Forde Gjerstand Trio, but in its prime, CTO delved into electric (guitars, turntables) and acoustic (percussion, accordion, etc.) instruments, and borrowed from rock rhythms, using its large group setting to take avant garde to new lengths.
The Forde Gjerstand Trio plays the Sugar Maple (441 E. Lincoln) this Saturday, January 23rd at 8 p.m.