- André Løyning
- Ola Kvernberg
Norwegian violinist and composer Ola Kvernberg has strong jazz roots—early in his career he was a feverish exponent of jazz manouche (made famous by guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stéphane Grappelli) before getting involved in more modern, progressive approaches. He’s played in Chicago before thanks to his membership in the long-running quintet led by bassist Ingebrigt Haaker Flaten, who lived here for a few years. But Kvernberg’s latest album reveals a more composition-oriented mind-set—that’s a common thing for creative musicians from Norway, who frequently work in numerous traditions even if they identify primarily with improvised music. Before discovering jazz, Kvernberg was trained in Norwegian folk music, a tradition that still ripples through his playing.
