Next up, we have Two, a 2023 release from the Tuva Halse Quintet, led by the young Norwegian violinist and composer herself, Tuva Halse (wikipedia | website).
I’ve always thought violins are an especially tricky instrument in jazz–there is a quality to the sound that sometimes reminds one of muzak and, hence, a decently high bar to clear. On Two, this is alleviated somewhat by the presence of the rest of the quintet, and the sparse, almost restrained, nature of Halse’s compositions.
Halse’s skill with the instrument is undeniable, and her playing is at its best when her instrument is taking on the role of a lead horn–think saxophone or trumpet–or when it is incorporating the unique sounds of a stringed instrument: pizzicato, bow strikes, etc.
The album is entirely instrumental, other than wordless singing on the final track, Why It Didn’t.
This is straight-ahead Nordic jazz and, for some, may too easily fade into the background. But when the group hits something (and overall Halse’s skill as a composer/arranger is impressively on display), like the opening piano melody of Zeptember or the complex horn and violin interplay of Gemini, it’s very, very good.
The work of Oscar Andreas Haug on trumpet and Benjamín Gísli Einarsson on piano is especially notable.
Overall, a good, if unspectacular, album.
Favorite Track: Gemini
Two (2023).
Tuva Halse – violin, compositions
Oscar Andreas Haug – trumpet
Benjamín Gísli Einarsson – piano
Gard Kronborg – bass
Øyvind Leite – drums