The Mechanical Fair Live Ola Kvernberg

• 1 Mechanical fair 10:42
• 2 Alarums & excursions 04:15
• 3 Dualist 10:19
• 4 Jaja 09:31
• 5 Metamechanics 04:47
• 6 Harlot´s House 13:54
• 7 Chasing The Wind 08:18
• 8 Encore 05:03
• Total Runtime 01:06:49

Info for The Mechanical Fair Live

Ola Kvernberg’s Steamdome was for at least one listener the most sensationally visceral album to come his way during 2018. Part future-jazz, part EDM, part avant-rock, part contemporary-classical, wrap-around shamanistic. It was Kvernberg’s follow-up to 2014’s The Mechanical Fair, which has now been issued in an extensively recalibrated version recorded live at the Molde International Jazz Festival in 2016. There are similarities between Steamdome and The Mechanical Fair Live, as you would expect of works coming from the same pen. But on the surface, the two albums could hardly be more different. Steamdome sounds like everyone involved had ingested a truckload of 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine. It is the most intense moments of Stravinsky’s Rite Of Spring ramped up for the age of anxiety. By contrast, The Mechanical Fair Live is restorative, lyrical, balm for the soul, burnished yin to the earlier album’s beserker yang. Premiered in 2013, the work went through a quintet version, a with-strings version, the 2014 album version and further versions with incrementally expanding line-us, before finally arriving at the incarnation heard on Live. “Molde felt like the first time we managed to do it in its entirety,” says Kvernberg. “Without any compromises being made for budget reasons or because of insufficient rehearsal time. So maybe ultimate is the best word.”

Ola Kvernberg, viola, violin, bass violin, vocals, mandolin, percussion
Erik Nylander, drums, drum machine
Petter Vågan, acoustic steel string guitar, dobro, 12-string acoustic guitar, vocals
Even Helte Hermansen, acoustic steel string guitar, acoustic baritone guitar
Ole Morten Vågan, double bass
Kirsti Huke, vocals, autoharps, looper, percussion
Anja Lauvdal, piano, pump organ, vocals
Kristoffer Lo, tuba, flugabone
Eirik Hegdal, soprano, baritone and tenor saxophone, clarinet
The Trondheim Soloists

Produced by Ola Kvernberg

Ola Kvernberg
born 1981 is a norwegian composer and violinist. Although known to most audiences as a jazz musician, his works in recent years include numerous albums, movie scores and live projects spanning multiple genres, appearing both as leader and sideman.

Ola grew up in a musical family, playing the fiddle in the folk tradition of his mom and granddad, starting classical training at age 6. At 14, he was awarded 3. Price at 'Concorsi Internazionale di Musica - Città di Stresa' in Italy. At age 16, his father presented him to an album titled 'Two of a Kind', featuring the legendary jazz violinists Svend Asmussen and Stephane Grappelli. The discovery led him to an instant interest in jazz music, eventually joining a number of traditional jazz groups in his neighboring town, Molde.

In 2000, during his final semester at upper secondary school, he presented himself to Jon Larsen of Hot Club de Norvége backstage the annual Django Festival in Oslo. The renowned string swing ambassador instantly invited Ola to sit in on the next set. A few months later, he was invited to record with Hot Club and Manouche guitar virtuoso Jimmy Rosenberg. The much anticipated debut album entitled 'Hot Club de Norvége presents Ola Kvernberg & Jimmy Rosenberg' received a 6/6 stars review in Dagbladet (NO) by norways most significant jazz critic Terje Mosnes, stating '18 year old Kvernberg makes his debut with a display of technique, tone and an idiomatic confidence in his phrasing none less than sensational.' His collaboration with Hot Club resulted in numerous recordings and several tours throughout the following three years.

Aged 20, he began his studies at the Institute of Music at the University of Trondheim, Norway (NTNU). As he seemingly effortlessly blended into any musical context, he quickly became a highly coveted session player on the Norwegian music scene. He spent four prolific years at the University, appearing on close to thirty albums and numerous concerts alongside his studies. His first appearance as a member of the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra was with Erlend Skomsvoll & Pat Metheny in 2003. He is still an associated member of the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, occationally touring and recording with them.

This album contains no booklet.