Review in Sogn avis, Wednesday February 20. 2002
| Translation by Dag Sirnes: Silje and Sogn - for better or worse Sogndal: Silje Nergaard almost has to have a good relationship with Sogn county, when her husband Heine has two recorded matches for the A-team for (football club) Balestrand. SA: Eirik Fardal But when she went to Sogn this time, it was not as idyllic as the glamor image in her head is. Because before Silje Nergaard, drummer Jarle Vespestad and accordionist Stian Carstensen were to give an intimate concert at Meieriet (''The Dairy'') on Monday night, they really got to taste the mix of western country weather and (the airline) Widerø. After taking off from Oslo (airport), they were on their way to Bergen for a while, but again the plain turned the nose towards Sogndal, but then had to try Førde (airport), so Sandane and finally they landed in Florø. While they sat for three hours in a maxi-taxi to Sogndal, a reasonably full Meieriet was all ready for a jazz concert. Fantastic audience "Did we look tired?", Silje asks after the concert. ''I think it went well. It was at least a fantastic audience'', she adds. But the eminent jazz singer has probably not taken the fear of bad flight weather and long distances. Because in addition to having performed at Balejazz, it happens that she is on holiday in Balestrand. ''My husband Heine (Totland), worked there for several years. He worked at Kvikne's Hotel with all the nice Icelandic girls there. I would rather not hear the stories from that time,'' laughs Silje. Fantastic nature The man she is now married to and has children with, has as far as Sogn Avis knows, even played two registered A-team matches for Balestrand (football club). And then you get a certain connection to the village .... ''A good friend of ours also has a cabin in Balestrand. Sometimes we are there. It is such a fantastic nature around here'', says Silje. Young jazz trend That she played on a student week on Monday is not in itself unusual these days. But five years ago she had probably not been to such an event. ''I think jazz has become more popular with younger people in recent years. It is a trend that we obviously like'', says Silje. Photo Brilliant: Silje Nergaard with her band played at Meieriet on Monday, after traveling around Western Norway with Widerø - without having a distaste for Sogn for that reason. Sogn Avis' reviewer gives Silje and Co a roll of the dice four. Nergaard and accordion virtuoso Stian Carstensen played well together. Photo: Bjørn Jakobsen |
Review in Sogn avis, Wednesday February 20. 2002
| Translation by Dag Sirnes: Stole the show from Silje Silje Nergaard and her two band members, Stian Carstensen and Jarle Vespestad, had a turbulent journey from Oslo to Sogndal. The opening (at the concert) was also turbulent. A slightly nervous Nergaard did not seem completely focused, and groped hesitantly through the opening song. But things got better with time. Much better. The slightly nervous mood that the delay in the schedule had caused was joked away. Silje & Co started to get hot in the (musical?) muscles. Accordionist Carstensen began flirting with the audience. At first he was funny. Fun 'pranks' and half-baked jokes. But eventually he became tiring, and missed badly when he came up with a joke at the expense of physically disabled people. In addition, he received a solo number, which was completely wasted and uninteresting. Because it was Silje Nergaard we had come to hear, not a half-known accordionist who had been in 'boys on a trip' to Bulgaria. But luckily it improved. Musically, it was an excellent concert, which could have defended an absolute top grade on the dice. Silje sang sorely, emotionally and clearly. She 'crushed' Witney Houston when it was clear for a jazz-inspired "Saving all my love for you". She excelled under the two extras ''Traffic Jam'' and ''Two Sleepy People'', and the applause was at its highest when she started singing the birthday song of duty manager Tore på Tanken. Musically, this was a strong and almost magical experience. Just a shame that an accordionist needed a little extra attention just this Monday night. Brynjulf Jung Tjønn |