Jazzland Recordings

With The Mechanical Fair, Ola Kvernberg's latest album sees him realize a dream of composing for chamber orchestra. 

Just one year after the release of the critically acclaimed Northern Tapes, Ola Kvernberg presents his fourth album for Jazzland Recordings, The Mechanical Fair. The work that forms the basis of the album was the "Takk for prisen" Concerts at Kongsberg Jazz Festival in 2013. Originally written for quintet, the work expanded at the initiative of the Trondheim Chamber Music Festival, and grew more powerful and bolder with the addition of the prestigious Trondheimssolistene and their unique musical energy and vision. Together with Erik Nylander, Ole Morten Vågan, Petter Vågan and Even Helte Hermansen, they have fully explored the potential of Ola's musical playground. 

If folk music was in his blood, it was classical music influenced the aspirations of Ola, the young violinist. Although he made the decision in adulthood to train as a jazz musician, his childhood was steeped in the music of Deutsche Gramophone Recordings from his father's vinyl collection. These contributed to the classical aesthetics that have always been present in his music, perhaps most clearly in his recent Amanda Award-winning score for the film, Jag Etter Vind. 

To release an instrumental record with the unconventional combination of chamber orchestra and a band featuring a distinguished cast of jazz musicians is proof that Kvernberg utilizes his diverse background as Grammy-winning composer, performer and producer to further challenge concepts of genre. Not just to challenge, but to triumph. 

The Mechanical Fair is a collaboration between Ola Kvernberg, Trondheimssolistene and Trondheim Chamber Music Festival. 

The work premiered at Dokkhuset in Trondheim, on Saturday 27 September 2014. 

Ola Kvernberg -  viola, violin, piano / prepared piano, vocals, percussion, theremin, autoharp, mandolin, cello, various guitars 

Erik Nylander - guitars, drums, drum machine 

Petter Storvågan, acoustic guitar, dobro, 12 string guitar, vocals 

Even Helte Hermansen - acoustic baritone guitar, acoustic guitar 

Ole Morten Vågan, bass 

Trondheimssolistene: 

1st Violins: Daniel Turcina, Bård Monsen, Hilde Kjøll, Stina Andersson, Rannveig Ryeng 

2nd Violins: Sigmund Tvete Vik, Elisabeth Uddu, Mathieu Roussel, Nella Penjin 

Violas: Bergmund Skaslien, Kristoffer Gjærde, Guro Lysaker Ness 

Cellos: Øyvind Gimse (artistic director), Katrine Pedersen, Ellen Holmås 

Bass: Rolf Hoffmann Baltzersen