Kornstad Trio
Håkon Kornstad – tenor, tenor saxophone, flute
Frode Haltli – accordion
Mats Eilertsen – double bass
Frode Haltli – accordion
Mats Eilertsen – double bass
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Håkon Kornstad Trio with Frode Haltli and Mats Eilertsen continues to wow audiences wherever they go. A unique trio, consisting of three of Europe's most daring improvisers, each with a distinct expression of their own.
Whatever the trio puts on their programme — be it classical songs from the lieder repertoire, opera arias, Norwegian folk songs or even free improvised stretches in the Nordic jazz tradition — it is always with a strong interplay, and with a warmth that goes straight to the heart. The double tenor Håkon Kornstad has found his very own way of blending his take on the Nordic saxophone idiom with the classic jazz tenor sound. He is also a fine classically trained tenor, inspired by the golden era of singing. Accordionist Frode Haltli is a firework in his own right, navigating in uncharted musical territory, always with taste and with his heart intact. And Mats Eilertsen is the perfect binding substance for a constellation like this, with his total mastery of the instrument, and big ears. Each and every concert with Håkon Kornstad Trio will take you on a different journey — full of freedom, warmth and musicality—and always together with the audience: Jazz fans, bel canto lovers, and all those who simply want music to be original and alive. Press quotes about Kornstad Trio"While Kornstad, as a singer, performs the melodies of the classics with Mediterranean passion, he interprets the pieces more freely on his instrument, so that Verdi occasionally lands in a bluesy groove, creating delightful contrasts. This enchanting intertwining of aria and jazz will soon open the cultural festival of jazzahead! in Bremen." Read More – JazzThing (DE)
"Tenor squared: The young Norwegian Håkon Kornstad plays saxophone and sings Italian opera arias. In a trio with accordion and double bass, he creates his own genre of opera and jazz for the label Grappa – hypnotic, elegiac, and gripping." Read more – Bayerische Rundfunk (DE)
"All of this cannot be explained with verbal platitudes like 'crossover' or 'genre mix'; we are not dealing here with an opera singer who also dabbles in jazz on the side (as Thomas Quasthoff tried to make us believe a few years ago) or vice versa. No, this is a spectacle of the highest musical level, and the best part: it is never staged as such, but is completely unpretentious, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to belt out an aria right after a saxophone solo." Read more – CD des Monats, Nordische Musik (DE)
In general, the way the trio maintains both contact with and distance from tradition deserves high respect. Even with a heavy, sultry Wesendonck-piece by Richard Wagner – beautiful.
Neue Musikzeitung (DE) hoerbar.nmz.de/2019/05/hakon-kornstad-trio-im-treibhaus-2019/ With full fervor, he belts out a Neapolitan classic, subtly approaches the fragile Webern song, and as a saxophonist, he spins delicate soundscapes with his unpretentious companions Haltli and Eilertsen, transporting the old songs into a captivating new context.
Jazzthing (DE) www.jazzthing.de/review/hakon-kornstad-trio-for-you-alone/ "(the interpretations) are in a way that only these three in the whole world can achieve, and Kornstad sings in English, Italian, and German. Strong, heartfelt, beautiful – simply the most unique"
Tor Hammerø, Nettavisen www.nettavisen.no/plateanmeldelse/musikk/opera/unik-unikere-unikest/r/5-95-284186 "Håkon Kornstad has ascended to a throne that hardly anyone knew existed. Now he has taken his unique fusion of jazz and opera to yet another new level."
Tor Hammerø, Nettavisen "Håkon Kornstad's blend of jazz saxophone and opera is a musical world sensation."
Audun Vinger, DN "It is enriching, entertaining, and demonstrates that music still has untapped connections."
Svein Andersen, Aftenposten "Groundbreaking beauty. Håkon Kornstad's unique blend of saxophone jazz and opera singing is a genre of its own. Raw, impressive, and heavenly beautiful in a completely unpolished way that is quite rare in the classical world. (…) A golden opportunity for curious listeners to challenge their own notions of what jazz and classical singing really are."
Maren Ørstadvik, Aftenposten "Goosebumps concert on a winter evening (...) Who would have thought that a saxophone, a double bass, and an accordion could make such sounds? And that you could even add an opera voice on top, and suddenly everything turns into magic?"
Anne Skjøtskift, Tynsetingen, Jan 18 |
Albums |
Kornstad Trio live at Ingensteds
Live mini concert for Norwegian Broadcasting radio and television at Ingensteds, Oslo, October 2019
Håkon Kornstad, sax, vocals; Frode Haltli, accordion; Mats Eilertsen, double bass