KNARR

Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, acoustic and electric bass, compositions; Mette Rasmussen, alto saxophone;  Atle Nymo, tenor saxophone, Bb clarinet, bass clarinet; Erik Kimestad, trumpet; Oddrun Lilja Jonsdottir, electric guitar, vocals; Joakim Rainer Petersen, piano, keyboards; Olaf Olsen, drums, percussion

With this new and exciting band Ingebrigt Haker Flaten continues to develop his eclectic musical world where different genres and traditions are allowed to merge with each other. The music draws as much inspiration from jazz and avant garde as from world music and psychedelic rock. All the compositions for his new band are tributes to places Ingebrigt has strong connections to after many years as a touring musician based in Chicago and Austin, TX. As a direct result of the events of 2020 Ingebrigt is now back in his native country of Norway and based in Trondheim. The band he put together for a commission for Vossajazz festival are some of Scandinavia’s most versatile jazz musicians. The album (EXIT) KNARR was presented at the festival in September 2021. 
From the liner notes: You can imagine the journey of Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, bass player and composer, as an odyssey in a Viking ship of classic ‘knarr’ construction, with its long range, high speed and strong seaworthiness in a storm. His story can also be told purely in music, as he does in the commissioned work (Exit) Knarr. The piece is divided into six destinations along the route – a tribute to the people, music and places that have shaped him. (Martin Eia-Revheim)

Listen on bandcamp: https://ingebrigtflaten.bandcamp.com/album/exit-knarr

“Over time, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten has probably become the Norwegian performer on the ‘ox fiddle’ who has made the biggest impression in international jazz since, Arild Andersen.” – 5.5 out of 6 in Klassekampen / Chris Monsen
 
“Flaten, perhaps the most influential bassist in Norway in recent decades, has also wisely chosen a great, young band in the back to sum up his first fifty years on planet jazz.” – Morgenbladet / Andy Woltmann

“A maturity has entered Ingebrigt Haker Flaten’s music. A bigger perspective perhaps! As if the fifty-year-old has absorbed everything he has been involved in and now he lets (Exit) Knarr enjoy it.” – 5 of 6 in Aftenposten / Arild R. Andersen
 
“Rasmussen turns her soul inside out in the tribute to Mexico City, ‘Chaos Pad’ before the album ends collectively ‘krautrocking’ with praise to Amsterdam, ‘Museumplein’. The ending is a fanfare for a musician who has never been afraid to take chances and bet on what he believes in.” – Dag og Tid / Lars Mossefinn
 
“It highlights Haker Flaten’s role as a natural leader, with a powerful sound of his own, the wisdom to hold it all together, to make it swing and rock, and most of all, to inspire us to make our world more passionate and more compassionate, more harmonious. Great album by one of the great ones.” – Salt Peanuts/Eyal Hareuveni

“It is soulful and cinematic, intense when needed, and always with Flaten’s humble rumble as the sonic and heartfelt center of the music. Listening to these different but recognizable sounds seen in an autobiographical context is simply touching.” – Filip Roshauw / Now’s The Time, Jazznytt
 
“(Exit) Knarr” shows off the undeniably strong skill of Ingebrigt Haker Flaten in crafting a literal journey through the world all without needing to say a single word.” “Ingebrigt Haker Flaten has an absolute blast on “(Exit) Knarr” and it shows.” – Beach Sloth