Ossicles

Chronique

Over the course of his previous 26 recordings, the versatile Norwegian-born musician -- who complements the urgent and sensuous tones of his tenor sax with a mastery of the indigenous goat horns -- has pushed the boundaries not only of Scandinavian jazz but also, more generally, the art of jazz improvisation. For Ossicles, Seglem's third recording with his current band, he holed up with a small audience in cozy wood-paneled rooms of the Herrenhaus-Hotel in the remote town of Salderatzen to create a dazzling swirl of his mainstay sounds (Nordic folk, light rock, artsy jazz) and exciting world music influences ranging from Middle Eastern to reggae to African. Among the prominent traits of the hauntingly seductive set are the rich and exotic rhythmic textures created by three percussionists (most prominently Erland Dahlen, whose arsenal includes steel pans, table box, and castanets). Newcomers to the Seglem experience who think they're in for a mainstream jazz experience are immediately drawn into a colorful exotic world beyond those trappings, as the leader lets Dahlen's dulcimer and Hardanger fiddler Hakon Hogemo establish a rich atmospheric landscape to let his melancholic goat horns ultimately luxuriate in. Seglem introduces his tenor into a sensual Middle Eastern playground and creates a tense, soaring duality with Hogemo -- a vibe that continues on the very danceable Irish jig-like "The Last Norwegian Troll." The production ranges from busy and explosive to sparse and intimate throughout, with Seglem taking an interim respite from the exotica and grooving energy with the simple, dark, and soulful solo number "Din Folketone." Ossicles has many melodic and artsy delights, but is probably best enjoyed by lovers of world music or more adventurous jazz fans who want to explore unique indigenous sounds.

© Jonathan Widran /TiVo