Rysstad/Storli/Morken
The rich music traditions of the Setesdal, Hardanger and Røros regions meet when vocalist Kim André Rysstad, Hardanger fiddler Lajla Buer Storli and guitarist/fiddler John Ole Morken team up for their spirited and well-attended live shows. The line-up that comprises guitars, Hardanger and conventional fiddles as well as two strong voices creates a lively and extrovert appearance. The trio’s repertoire includes traditionals from the performers’ home regions, played in both traditional as well as more contemporary arrangements that that draw on alt.folk/country influences with a hint of tasteful pop. John Ole Morken is a native of Holtålen County in the region of Trøndelag, Norway. Holtålen, located south of Trondheim and bordering on Røros – a region that has rich music and dance traditions whose history dates back more than 200 years. Excellent results at Norwegian folk music competitions - as a solo fiddler, as a member (and generator) of a multitude of groups and as a leader for several fiddler clubs - attest to young Morkens’ quality and development as a fiddler and as a musician over the years. Kim André Rysstad, born in Rysstad, Setesdal, is a young traditional vocalist who in a short time has earned a reputation as a highly respected performer with his own distinctive idiom. He presents stev, folk songs and ballads from Setesdal and Telemark. Last year he released his solo debut ‘Tak hardt uti hand’ – a release that was met with rave reviews and a Norwegian Folk Music Award for Record of the year. Lajla Buer Storli hails from Kvalvik in western Norway’s Hardanger region is a well established freelance folk music performer who has collaborated with the elite of the Norwegian folk scene and has toured frequently domestically as well as in the US, Germany and Italy.
Headlines:
Himmelkvad
Celebrated vocal ensemble Nordic Voices is currently out on its promo tour for their new outing ‘Himmelkvad’, a critically acclaimed album presenting Norwegian composer Lasse Thoresen’s unique vocal universe. MIC Norway takes a closer look at the cutting-edge vocal ensemble and ground-breaking composer.
I was the devil in my younger years
Late Feb sees Enslaved heading out on a month-long European tour. MIC Norway hooked up with Enslaved’s Ivar Peersen to talk about musical cross pollination, inspirational sources, humour and his fascination for singer-songwriter Stein Torleif Bjella.
