Christian Winther & Christian Meaas Svendsen | M/W | Va Fongool Records

M/W is a double-solo-CD by the two great Norwegian musicians Christian Winther (Guitar) and Christian Meaas Svendsen (double bass). Both spinning out of the creative environment around the Music Academy in Oslo the two musicians has been noticed in the world of improvised music from several of their other projects the last years, like ICH BIN N!NTENDO, Mopti, Mokey Plot, KNYST!, Karokh, Duplex, Mummu, Aksiom, Unbird and others, making them some of the busiest musicians in the scene. M/W is the debut as solo artists for both musicians. It is a result of years of experimenting and finding their own sound, and it really shows what they are capable of with their instruments. Mesmerizing repetitive sounds meets new way of thinking about traditional instruments, leaving the listener with a feeling of experiencing something truly unique and new. Continue reading

Inga Margrete Aas | Rudolf Terland Bjornerem | Henrik Munkeby Norstebo | As Deafness Increases | Va Fongool Records

As Deafness Increases plays music in the gray area between composition and improvisation. Clear structural frameworks functions as a starting point for creating music where slow haunting soundscapes are alternated with rapid movements and semi-melodic passages. Through the use of flexible instrumental roles and extended techniques, the trio strives to create a sound that grows beyond it’s components. The self titled debut album was recorded during two days in Oslo spring 2013, and consists of one long composition and three shorter pieces. “Svalbard” was originally created by the trio to accompany a compilation of film clips made by an anonymous amateur at the arctic islands in the 1930s.

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Andreas Wildhagen | Kjetil Jerve | Henrik Munkeby Norstebo | Lana trio | Va Fongool Records

Lana trio is an experimental ensemble for the exploration of historic, non-ideomatic improvisation. Andreas, Henrik and Kjetil started playing together quickly after meeting at Sund Folk College in 2007, and extensively explored how musical parametres like density, speed, duration and volume could be stretched in order to create different possibilities for musical interplay. The trio have worked both with graphical notation and so called free improvisation, and plays music that draws inspiration from a wide variety of genres. The members of Lana trio are already experienced musicians, active in bands like Mopti, Einer, Skadedyr, Orter eparg and As deafness increases. Together or seperately they have played concerts around Europe in countries like England, Ireland, France, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Poland, Czech republic, Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia, and taken part in longer study trips to New york and The Gambia. The trio did a small Scandinavian tour in 2009, followed by a longer period with little activity due to geographical challenges. 2013 will bring new life to the band, with the release of the long-awaited debut recording and concerts in Norway and around Europe. Continue reading

Christian Skår Winther | Magnus Skavhaug Nergaard | Joakim Heibø Johansen | Mats Gustafsson | Ich Bin Nintendo & Mats Gustafsson | Va Fongool Records

The three wildlings in ICH BIN N!NTENDO trooped up with The Thing’s critically acclaimed saxophone player, Mats Gustafsson, on their debute album released in october, 2012. Recording it during a live gig in Oslo, they managed to fully absorb the ultimate scolding energy of trembling musicians the album deserved and would not get from any studio. To fulfill the noise-soundscape to this record, Lasse Marhaug mixed and mastered it to perfection. ICH BIN N!NTENDO is a purely improvised trio and can be compared to bands like The Ex and the more experimental releases from ZU. Though, in the company with Mats Gustafsson, the closest comparison would be, if anything, the Original Silence recordings. Continue reading

Halvor Meling | Fredrik Luhr Dietrichson | Jan Martin Gismervik | Wolfram | Va Fongool Records

Wolfram Trio is a group that seeks inspiration in acoustic free jazz, with heroes such as Eric Dolphy, Albert Ayler, Peter Brotzman and Even Parker. Wolfram plays a mixture of improvised music and their own compositions. The three members in Wolfram is also very good friends and therefor it is very fun for them to play together, as if the musical amusement should not be enough. On April the 20th, 2012, they gave out their debut album «Wolfram», labeled as acoustic speed-improv. Full of fierce energy, this is a great listen for all fans of improvised music. The album was recorded in Stavanger, Norway, 8th -9th of september 2011, and is produced, mixed and mastered by Frode Gjerstad. Continue reading

Fredrik Luhr Dietrichson | Jan Martin Gismervik | PGA | Va Fongool Records

Va Fongool is proud to present the duo PGA consisting of Fredrik Luhr Dietrichson on the double bass (Wolfram Trio, Moskus, Skadedyr) and Jan Martin Gismervik on drums (Sagstuen, Karokh, Wolfram Trio). After many years of cooperation and sharing the joy of playing in each others company, they´re now ready with their debut album “Corrections”.

PGA works with a clear framework and specific ideas, and delves deeply into the basic elements, which form the basis for their improvisation. This adds an originality and uniqueness to the music that also have been further fulfilled by the guest musicians Torstein Lavik Larsen on trumpet and Henrik Munkeby Nørstebø on trombone. Corrections is both extremely silent and minimalistic, and really intense at the same time, and provides a unique listening experience where you get sucked into the sounds of the PGA world. To complete the overall thoughts the German artist Danny Gretsch made the cover design. Recording and mixing are done by Greener Productions, while the Italian Guiseppe Ielasi did the mastering. Continue reading

Va Fongool

Italian-Americanised mispronunciation of the phrase “va’a fare in culo” (literally “go do it in the ass”) often shortened to “vaffanculo”, “vafangool”, “bafongool” or just “fongool”; generally interpreted to mean “fuck … Continue reading