THE NORDIC FIDDLERS BLOC

The Nordic Fiddlers Bloc are three friends, the Norwegian Olav Luksengård Mjelva, the Swede Anders Hall and the Shetland Scotsman Kevin Henderson who have been playing together as a trio since 2009.

Bonfrost, as usual, combines Scottish and Nordic traditions arranged by Olav, Anders and Kevin. But this time they are taking a slightly different direction by including a solo piece by each of them on the album to take a closer look at the different styles emanating from their home countries. This allows them to push their own boundaries further, developing a broader sound that explores the many possibilities offered by the range of instruments they play. But they do not forget what has so far been their trademark, a highly specialised collaboration with highly original arrangements. Three distinct styles on which they enjoy skillfully weaving the different components of their respective musical cultures and traditions.

The album opens in a very original way with a scottishe by the Scottish musician Calum Stewart who has been living in Brittany for several years. A tune he composed as a tribute to the place where he settled in Finistère. The eleven other titles are divided between Scotland (Up Da Stroods Da Sailor Goes, Be Nort Da Dykes O'Voe/Deltingside), Norway (Bas-Pelles Eriks Brudpolska, Dravbakken, Vrengja) and Sweden (En Konstig Fan, Myrstacken).

The great variety of instruments used by our three friends from the hardanger fiddle to the viola, brings them an unequalled richness which is not far from making one think of a string quartet even though there are only three of them. An album of all beauty.

Autoproduit NFBCD004CD - www.thenordicfiddlersbloc.com