GURLS & Trondheim Jazz Orchestra - Oui (2022) [Hi-Res]

The trio GURLS has since the beginning in 2013, been saxophonist Hanna Paulsberg and Ellen Andrea Wang’s musical free space. With a base in jazz music, it turned into an unlikely commercial success. Paulsberg and Wang, on bass, are among Norway’s most sought-after musicians, both with careers spanning wide in genre and influences. For this new project “Oui”, they’ve invited the unique vocalist Marianna Sangita, known from Broen.

GURLS has turned into a flagship in Norwegian jazz. It’s an unusually joyful, unique and musically surprising project, which has been received by an enthusiastic Norwegian audience. The debut album “Run Boy Run” won the Norwegian Grammy Award for Best Jazz album in 2018, and since then the trio has headlined Norwegian jazz festivals and played for sold out venues. In July 2018 they were also invited to play at the recognized North Sea Jazz festival in Rotterdam.

When Hanna Paulsberg in 2020 was asked ‘as a commissioned work’ to write and arrange for the renowned Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, she approached the task with the same mindset that made the trio such a success; “I’ve always felt a bit of anxiety about writing for Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, so when I was asked to do it I wanted to approach it in a way that I knew would end up just being fun. GURLS has always been a channel for me where I can show both craziness and stupidity, in a format that I like very much, namely making songs. It’s also a project that suits being renewed from time to time, and to be able to wear the TJO hat on GURLS and put the GURLS hat on TJO, has been like a dream coming true”.

Hanna Paulsberg’s commissioned work “Oui” premiered spring 2021, and the concerts at Jazzfest in Trondheim, Mandaljazz, Moldejazz and Sildajazz were met with great excitement, showing a series of new tunes, and some of GURLS’ earlier hit songs in a new package. Live recordings from these concerts has now resulted in a live-album filled with joy!

Marianna Sangita, vocals
Hanna Paulsberg, tenor saxophone, vocals
Ellen Andrea Wang, bass, vocals
Eirik Hegdal, saxophone
Sissel Vera Pettersen, saxophone, vocals
Trine Knutsen, flute
Erik Johannessen, trombone
Heida Karine Johannesdottir, tuba
Håvard Aufles, keyboards
Amund Storløkken Åse, vibraphone
Håkon Mjåset Johansen, drums
Ola Øverby, drums