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Check out Frøy Aagre's website
http://www.froyaagre.com
INFO
Frøy Aagre is a critically acclaimed Norwegian saxophonist known for her remarkable compositions. Her music can be described as Nordic, lyrical jazz with “highly syncopated songs â€(O's Place Jazz, US).
As well jazz influences Frøy Aagre’s music is influenced by classical music and one of her aims is that the improvisation and composition go together as a whole by improvising within the “language†of the tunes. In other words, she likes to blur the distinction between the written and the improvised. Aagre’s influences range from Wayne Shorter and Kenny Wheeler to Bach, Messian and Astor Piazzolla.
Frøy Aagre has a melodic approach to improvisation and composition and with “surprising and fascinating melodic turns and unexpected rhythmic ideas†(Dagbladet, NO) she takes the listener on a journey that is “downright entertaining, at an emotional level.†(Jazzreview.com)
A good group sound is also very important and her Norwegian Quartet has developed a unique musical interaction and they “truly functions as a band, each member playing off one other and, above all, serving the songs." (All About Jazz, US). The band consists of very talented musicians on the Norwegian jazz scene: Andreas Ulvo (piano), Audun Ellingsen (bass) and Freddy Wike (drums).
Frøy Aagre and her band’s second album Countryside has received world wide acclaimed from critics and musicians alike. The album was rated as one of the top ten jazz albums in 2007 by the Norwegian newspaper Dagsavisen.
REVIEWS COUNTRYSIDE:
"Frøy Aagre has done it again, she has put together a blend of compositions that further demonstrates her skill and talent...a collection of original compositions that uplift, carry and deliver the listener to a place that is pleasant and demands return. This music was so easy to listen to, so engaging. It is downright entertaining, at an emotional level, like the soundtrack to a great movie..."
Chuck Vecoli, jazreview.com (US)
"Featuring finely crafted compositions and precise, yet stirring performances, Countryside is an ambitious and lovely followup to Frøy Aagre Offbeat's debut album, 2004’s Katalyze... Countryside is dense but far from inaccessible, due to the sheer tunefulness of the writing and the pithy inventiveness of the playing... This unit truly functions as a band, each member playing off one other and, above all, serving the songs."
Stephen Latessa, All About Jazz (US)
"Strong follow-up album from exciting saxophonist/composer...It contains lots of surprising and fascinating melodic turns, unexpected rhytmic ideas and smooth transitions between written material and improvisations".
Terje Mosnes, Dagbladet
"Frøy Aagre and Offbeat..s new album Countryside makes me feel like a better human being...Beatiful images come to me when I listen to Countryside as well as the nice feeling you get when you hear music that grabs you because it has something to tell".
Roald Helgheim, Dagsavisen
"This is an adventurous recording featuring Frøy Aagre on sax in front of an excellent rhythm section with pianist Andreas Ulvo, Audun Ellingsen on bass and drummer Freddy Wike (...) The recording quality is outstanding as we were able to capture all of the nuances and hear the space around each instrument clearly. That makes it easier to engage in the somewhat eclectic and highly syncopated songs. We enjoyed the ride." {Performance/Sound, 5/5 max]
D. Oscar Groomes, O's Place Jazz (US)
