Voyage Jan Gunnar Hoff Group

• 1 Living 05:56
• 2 Threads of Red Silk 05:18
• 3 Spirit Be 05:08
• 4 Voyage I 02:20
• 5 Voyage II 04:17
• 6 Transatlantic 05:10
• 7 The Fjords 04:54
• 8 Stone or Gold 04:43
• 9 Adagio for Strings 08:07
• 10 Distant Waters 03:23
• 11 Ancestors 04:10
• 12 Seerene 04:29
• Total Runtime 57:55

Info for Voyage

Voyage' is the debut album by super group led by pianist Jan Gunnar, a quartet with guitarist Nguyen Le, bassist Per Mathisen, and drummer Gary Husband. The album crosses many different landscapes and is both electric and acoustic, with elements from jazz and jazz-rock, classical, prog rock, world music and folklore.

The quartet first came together in the summer of 2023 when they performed at festivals across Europe. In 2024 they performed at the Bodo Jazz Open Festival in Oslo, following which they were invited to go into the studio to record for Losen Records. The idea was to record new compositions from all the band members and create a common musical foundation that could function as a whole.

Jan Hoff contributed half of the twelve songs and with Ngyen Le's (an ACT recording artist and one of Europe's most distinctive and exciting guitarists) artistic signature and Vietnamese background, helped shape much of the music.

Gary Husband is an international name both as a drummer and pianist with Billy Cobham and John McLaughlin among others, and session credits with artists such as Level 42, AlJarreau, Gary Moore, and many others. Bassist Per Mathisen has collaborated with Hoff since 2008, which has resulted in projects with world-renowned drummers such as Gary Novak, Horacio El Negro Hernandez and not least Alex Acuna. Mathisen is one of Europe's best and most versatile bassists.

"It has been great pleasure to work together with such eminent artists as Nguyên Lê, Gary Husband and Per Mathisen, in making this album. We first met as a group, performing at European festivals and venues in 2023. After a few concerts in Norway, January 2024, Odd Gjelsnes invited us to do a recording in Oslo for his label. The idea was to present compositions from all of the band members, aiming to create a musical common ground that could work as a whole. About the music:

In the opening tune, «Living», Nguyên Lê´s sound and artistic signature add a beautiful flavor to the theme. His Vietnamese influence and trademark is present from the very start of this album, which continues with Nguyên ´s composition “Threads of Red Silk”. «Spirit Be» is an intriguing Gary Husband – tune with several original solutions that open up for soloists. My compositions “Voyage I & II” are both based on the same musical idea, first played rubato with guitar and piano, then tutti with a distinct rhythmical progress. “Transatlantic” was created from a synthesizer pattern and developed further with several themes and solo parts. A kind of hectic travel, with lots of action in there.

“The Fjords” is my hommage to our volunarable nature and environments in Norway. Pristine nature is constantly under pressure, and it is vital to preserve our untouched areas, for future generations.

«Stone or Gold» is another characteristic Nguyên – tune, with its folkloric and life-affirming atmosphere. My long time co-partner in music, Per Mathisen, brings to the table his fearless arrangement of Samuel Barber’s classic «Adagio for strings». A powerful bass intro leads into a high speed energy solo section. This is a Barber version you won´t miss!

«Distant waters» takes it all down deep again with a guitar and piano duo, where we improvise over a given idea. Gary Husband´s second song contribution, «Ancestors», has recurring themes that gradually build up a truly epic piece of music. On this track Gary plays both drums and keyboards.

Nguyên ´s beautiful ballad «Seerene» ends our musical voyage, with a core of beauty, sincerity and hope, things that the world definitely needs today!" (Jan Gunnar Hoff)

Jan Gunnar Hoff, grand piano, keyboards
Nguyên Lê, guitar, synth programming (tracks 2, 8, 12)
Per Mathisen, electric and acoustic bass
Gary Husband, drums, keyboards (track 11)

Jan Gunnar Hoff
was educated at NTNU, Jazzdep in Trondheim 1986-89 and studied arranging and composing at NMH, Oslo 2001-2002. His career as a jazz musician started in 1976 with piano trio and as a backing musician for drummer Jon Christensen and other jazz artists at the local jazz club. Hoff became a professional musician in 1979 and toured with Arild Andersen and Nils Petter Molvær in 1982. In 1987 Hoff participated in an all star Norwegian combo presenting Jan Garbarek’s commission for the Federation of Norwegian Jazz musicians, FNJ. Hoff´s debut CD Syklus was recorded in 1992, based on a commission for the Arts Festival of North Norway. Since 1993 Hoff has worked as a bandleader presenting original compositions. Major band events include Hoff´s highly acclaimed Vossajazz-debut in 1995, Oris London Jazzfestival and Molde Int. Jazzfestival 1996 with EBU-broadcast to 12 European countries (link to TV-program). Another highlight is the successful collaboration with Pat Metheny in Molde 2001. Excerpt “Extraditon” (Metheny) from the official NRK broadcast.

Hoff and his band toured Norway, Estonia and Ukraine with Mike Stern in 2006, 2007 and 2008. From 2008 Hoff has been working with percussionist Alex Acuna and bassplayer Per Mathisen in the new trio “Acuna/Hoff/ Mathisen”. February 2010 the trio recorded a concert DVD at Drumchannel in Oxnard California. This trio has released two albums, “Jungle City” and “Barxeta”.

As a composer he has made works for chamber orchestra, sinfonietta, choir and other settings, in addition to compositions for his solo recordings. Hoff did the prestigous annual commission for Vossajazz 2005 “Free flow songs” and received an Edvard (Grieg) -prize for his jazzmazz “Meditatus” in 2006. “Meditatus” has been performed in Norway, Iceland, Canada, USA and recorded on CD in Norway and CD/DVD in Riga, Latvia.

Several duo constallations a.o with Maria Joao in Norway, Croatia and France 2008. Worth mentioning is also the Harstad festival in Northern Norway 1995 where Hoff did a spontanous duo session with Chick Corea. Other collaborations include Norwegian artists like Unni Wilhelmsen, Frode Alnæs, Jarle Bernhoft, Jan Eggum, Halvdan Sivertsen.

From 2008-2014 Hoff has performed and toured in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Croatia, Iceland, Austria, Italy, Sweden, USA, Slovakia, Kazakhstan, Kirgisistan, Peru, England, Japan and Norway. Concerts in major cities such as New York, London, Stockholm, Zagreb, Los Angeles, Moscow, St.Petersburg, Tokyo, Istanbul, Vilnius.

In 2011 Hoff contributed as bandleader, arranger and pianist for the album “Quiet winter night”, later nominated for US Grammy Awards 2013 (Best surround sound album, Morten Lindberg, 2L). Hoff continued his collaboration with 2L on the solo piano album LIVING, released April 2013. Hoffs quartet-recording “Fly North” was released in January 2014, followed by the solo album “Quiet light/Stille lys” (2L December 2014). In January 2014 Hoff received the Buddy prize, the highest distinction in Norwegian jazz. May 2014 he was appointed as an official Steinway Artist and August 2014 he was selected as Artist in residence at Ingmar Bergman Estate, Fårö (Sweden). Hoff released two more albums late 2016 and early 2017: Stories, a solo piano album for 2L and Terra Nova, a crossover duo project with mezzo soprano Marianne Beate Kielland. April 2018 Hoff´s trio album Polarity was released by 2L, receiving great reviews. In June Hoff was part of the trio Mathisen/Hoff feat. Horacio Hernandez, releasing the album Barxeta II. In September 2018 Hoff will release his third album this year, Jan Gunnar Hoff Group feat. Mike Stern.

Hoff also works as a professor at the University of Tromsø and Agder, and is the head of Bodø Jazz Open.

This album contains no booklet.