John Faxe - I Am Awake (2018)

Two words permeated my first and consequent familiarity with this album; authenticity and authority. The first is in regard to the overall sound. It's pure jazz - and it's GREAT! The sense of authority is due to the masterly musicianship, belying the band's average age of 28. Every note by every instrument counts and contributes. The band is Norwegian - which these days, is almost an automatic qualification of excellence. 'Samspill' is one of those concise Scandinavian hybrid words, which can be loosely translated as 'musical interaction'. It is devotedly presented here - throughout the album. The self-descriptive opening track, Lift Off, is courtesy of Børge-Are Halvorsen. His very first striking solo bars invite both his band and us to join an extravaganza of jazz exploration. From this point we rapidly meet his co-musicians - all highly equipped and ultra-educated to drive us through immaculately arranged soul-searching music. The very grammar of jazz, its twists and turns, highs and lows, its tension and release is displayed with, yes, authenticity and authority. This track serves as a microcosm of the entire album. Børge-Are is a most mature jazz musician, a superb soloist and technician. His CV reveals him to be a top flight and in demand instrumentalist, big and small band leader, composer, arranger and educator. 300 gigs a year sort of sums it up! We also hear the first of many thoughtfully styled solos by pianist, Martin Sandvik Gjerde and SO importantly, the empathetic, all-hearing, all-supportive rhythm section of Alexander Hoholm on bass and Henrik Håland on drums. With these guys onboard, you know you're in safe hands. This band is a very tight unit. They play with facility, they tête-à-tête and they heart-to-heart; they talk jazz! And so, I humbly reinstate my previous declaration: This album is pure jazz - and it's GREAT! David Fishel (This is a shortened version of the liner notes)