The Ola Kvernberg Trio was established in 2000, at that time it consisted of violinist Ola Kvernberg together with bassplayer Steinar Raknes and american guitarplayer Doug Raney. Since then, the trio has been through a few changes, the latest was adding swedish drummer Erik Nylander autumn 2004.
Ola grew up in a musical family, playing in the fiddle folk music tradition of his mom and granddad. Studying classical and folk music from age 6, he discovered jazz music at age 16 and has since then pursued his interest in improvised music.
The trios reportoire today consists mainly of Olas compositions; a mixture of bebop, folkmusic-fiddling and modal jazz. Focusing on the interplay, the result is quite a unique sound: everything from burnin to intepretating soft songs.
Two years has gone since the critics worshipped Ola Kvernberg Trio's album debut Night Driver. Since then, Ola has contributed to more than 15 albums and toured with more than 30 different constellations (Jimmy Carl Black, Joshua Redman, Erlend Skomsvoll, Thomas Dybdahl and Jo Nesbø, to mention a few.) I addition to this, he composed and recorded the full score for the movie "Nord" (Erlend Loe) - the only norwegian contribution at this years Berlin Film Festival.
Together with Steinar Raknes (double bass) and Erik Nylander (drums), his new record Folk continues to challenge the genres and take another step towards a both clearer and more personal direction. Folk is a double hommage - one for his musical roots, and one for his biggest inspirational source; people. The album consists of eight named musical portraits, and continues in the landscape of melancholy Night Driver established in 2006. On Folk, Ola once again shows his rare talent of building bridges between genres most people would consider being contradictions, and more than any of his earlier releases, Folk manages to capture the nearness, energy and playfullness that has trademarked the bands numerous concerts.
