Avant-Garde Party Music is an appropriate title from the string of albums that Cortex has released in the past ten years. The Norwegian quartet is indebted to radical jazz innovators such as Ornette Coleman, Don Cherry, and John Zorn. At the same time the music is a treat for the listener, with catchy themes, performed with clarity and conviction. The compositions, mostly written by trumpeter Thomas Johansson, serve as a springboard for uninhibited improvisations.
Cortex consists of four powerhouse players of Norwegian jazz. Thomas Johansson previously played on our stage with Gard Nilssen and Paal Nilssen-Love. Saxophonist Kristoffer Alberts also collaborates with Steve Noble, Lasse Marhaug, and Maja S.K. Ratkje. The rhythm section of Cortex consists of Olga Høyer on double bass, and Dag Erik Knedal Andersen, who replaced Gard Nilssen on drums in 2020. The band’s most recent album, Legal Tender, was released on the label Clean Feed.
This concert is part of the EJN Green Pilot Tour: an initiative by EJN, focused on innovative models for sustainable touring.
Thomas Johansson trumpet, Kristoffer Berre Alberts saxophone, Ola Høyer double bass, Dag Erik Knedal Andersen drums
