Karin Krog & Morten Gunnar Larsen - In A Rag Bag (2012)

When Karin Krog and Morton Gunnar Larsen appeared together in this live concert in Oslo, in March 2012, they brought together a vast wealth of knowledge and experience that is entirely complementary. Karin’s singing embraces almost every style of jazz and popular song from the days of Irving Berlin to today’s avant garde. Meanwhile, Morten’s piano playing is a stylistic compendium of early jazz from ragtime via stride to boogie woogie. And yet it is true that each of them, in whatever style, retains a totally distinctive musical character, that is immediately identifiable and as individual as a fingerprint or a retinal scan.
It’s a great partnership between singer and pianist, and the audience’s thrilled reaction at the end shows just how effectively these two dazzling performers of today have opened a little window into an earlier, and perhaps more innocent, time.