Jan Gunnar Hoff – Piano
Jasper Somsen – Double Bass
Carsten Lindholm – Drums
A brand new exciting trio has seen the light, namely Hoff Somsen Lindholm. The trio will perform at Jazz festivals and clubs from 2023, and are very excited to present their music.
Jan Gunnar Hoff (NO), Jasper Somsen (NL) and Carsten Lindholm (DK) share their love of Nordic Jazz mixed with strong undercurrent of both the American Jazz tradition and European classical music. Besides that they also share a positive attitude in life, which reflects in their compositions and improvisations.
The first performances of Hoff Somsen Lindholm in Bayreuth (DE) and Bastia (Corsica, FR) were sold out. The trio will continue their concert series in 2024, in amongst others Norway, Denmark and Germany. Since the three musicians are well respected composers, their repertoire is a fine blend of their (newly) composed best music for this line up.
Album “Northwest” will be released from Challenge Records 6th September 2024
Liner note:
All three musicians are equal in the musical process and contribute in the same measures with improvisations and compositions. It is all about communication – the art of listening and reacting and so forcing each other deeper into the essence of the performed tune. This new jazz trio is a welcome addition to an already rich European jazz scene and will soon find followers around the globe. After hearing their debut album, I can already say: I am a fan! Wulf Müller (AT) – former Vicepresident Universal Music Group, Classics and Jazz
Press & Quotes :
The beautiful sound of the album and the virtuosity of the instrumentalists are enchanting. – Jazz-Fun, GER
Northwest has both the Scandinavian freshness and the warm-hearted feeling to charm with its authenticity and melodic vibes. – Jazz’halo, BE
All three men are experienced and versatile musicians, who create a collective atmosphere and leave space for each other. There is a beautiful composition by Somsen, So Long, in which the melancholy of parting is aptly expressed. – Jazzism, NL
Press
… A great album, which, by the way, also sounds really outstanding…
Hören & Fühlen, 01-11-2024
… The beautiful sound of the album and the virtuosity of the instrumentalists are captivating.
jazz-fun.de, 10-9-2024
… The improvisations “Free Flight I” and “Free Flight II” show the strong communication between the musicians, while “Coming Home” closes the album with a groovy, Yellowjackets-inspired piece.
inMusic, 01-12-2024
The members give each other plenty of space, and they also think of others…
Jazzism, 23-10-2024
… Lyrical sounds, warm melodies and subtle interplay, especially during the individual musicians’ solo performances, characterize this blend of American role models and Nordic musical style…
NaDann, 18-9-2024
Northwest has both the Nordic freshness and the warm-hearted feeling to charm with its authenticity and melodic vibes.
Jazzhalo, 18-9-2024
… The band immediately brings in a lot of aesthetics and the song conveys beauty and tranquillity to me. …
Musikansich, 06-9-2024
… sometimes start gently, only to rise up in a roaring storm…
Jazzthing, 01-9-2024
On the album Northwest, Gunnar Hoff, Somsen and Lindholm prove that they are the unmistakable ambassadors of Scandinavian jazz where harmonic melodies, solid interplay and coherent performances are the most important ingredients.
Music Frames, 15-8-2024
Find upcoming concerts here!
In media:
Ohrenschmaus! Mit „Zwischentexten“ der Musiker wurde die Musik auch ab und an erläutert, ohne in epische Breite zu gehen. Die Musik sollte ja im Fokus stehen!
… Die drei Musiker entwickelten kontinuierlich eine gewisse Dynamik, ohne all das Eruptive, das man sonst bei ähnlichen Ensembles erlebt
Ferdinand Dupuis-Panther | Jazz’halo, Jazz-Club Paderborn 10th May 2024 – read full review here
Hoff Somsen Lindholm demonstrated the excellence of their technical and compositional qualities. The piano oscillated between water and fire, the double bass thunder and purrs and the drums balanced everything with rhythm and sounds that were sometimes fragmentary or lascivious.
Jazz Equinoxe, Corsica (FR) – photos (above) by Michele Maestracci
High-class trio Jazz. Tight interplay, good songs and strong soloists. What more do you ask for?
Bodø Jazz Open Festival, NOR (Kjell Nordeng) – read full review here
Three of a kind: Instant and intense interplay, full of power and expressiveness without completely abandoning the lyrical setting.
Gerd Harthus (GER) – read full review here
ABOUT:
(c) 2023 photos by Boe Larsen
| Biographies Hoff Somsen Lindholm | Download |
Pianist Jan Gunnar Hoff from Norway performs worldwide with his solo piano repertoire and has worked with: Mike Stern, Arve Henriksen, Audun Kleive, Anders Jormin, Gary Novak, Per Mathiesen, Alex Acuna and Horacio Hernández.
As a bandleader and co-leader he has released 23 albums and published over 250 orchestral works in various contexts. Jan Gunnar Hoff is also a SteinwayArtist.
Double bassist/Composer/Producer Jasper Somsenfrom the Netherlands is known worldwide for his longstanding collaborations with Enrico Pieranunzi, Maria Mendes and Lynne Arriale. He has performed with Peter Erskine, Jorge Rossy, Joey Calderazzo, Bob Sheppard, John Beasley and Jeff Ballard among other. He has released 7 albums as leader and co-leader for Challenge Records and has been featured on more than 45 albums including film music productions.
Drummer and composer Carsten Lindholm, is a danish Drummer known for his unique ability to fuse Nordic Jazz with Indian rhythmics, based on his study of Konnakol. Artists as Erik Truffaz, John Beasley, Reggie Washington, Pete Judge, Jim Barr, Eivind Aarset, Gunnar Halle, Thomas Siffling and Christopher Dell has played on his albums.
He has since 2018 as bandleader, toured with his Carsten Lindholm Trio in many European clubs and at festivals a.o ELBJAZZ, Bix Stuttgart, Domicil Dortmund, Altes Pfandhaus Köln, JazzFolk Syke, Jazzforum Bayreuth, Jazzclub Bamberg, Jazznmore Ingolstadt, Jazzfest Wageningen, Montmartre Copenhagen, Festival Boréales|Theatre de Caen.
Press release in short:
The Hoff Somsen Lindholm Trio plays original compositions inspired by Keith Jarrett, Enrico Pieranunzi, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Esbjörn Svensson, Rymden, Wolfgang Haffner, Russell Ferrante and Vince Mendoza, among others.
In direct contact with their audience, this Dutch-Scandinavian piano trio plays music that only knows how to unfold in the flow of improvisational forces and is therefore characterized by communicative openness, stylistic diversity and aesthetic expressiveness
| Hoff Somsen Lindholm Tech & stageplan | Download |
BOOKINGS & MANAGEMENT:
Carsten Lindholm (World)
Jasper Somsen (The Netherlands and UK)