Pianist Eyolf Dale brings together renowned Norwegian jazz musicians in Wolf Valley, an eight-piece formation with a impressive sound rooted in jazz and equally influenced by modern classical and film music. This year saw the release of Return to mind, an album on which Dale strives to balance melody, harmony and free improvisation.

‘I try, as well as I can, to translate the emotions and landscapes that I want to express into melodies, chords and structures that gives me goosebumps’, says Dale, who’s regarded as one of the major Norwegian pianists alongside Bugge Wesseltoft and Tord Gustavsen.

“Whatever you want to call it, it’s absolutely gorgeous. Dale’s scaleable and constantly fluctuating episodes – one moment ‘big band’, then ‘chamber orchestra’ or ‘minimal atmospheric’ – are the key to these nine generous tracks’ (Adrian Pallant, AP Reviews).

Eyolf Dale piano, André Roligheten saxophone/clarinet, Hayden Powell trumpet, Kristoffer Kompen trombone, Rob Waring vibraphone, Adrian Løseth Waade violin, Per Zanussi bass, Audun Kleive drums