Beautiful and charming from a melodic storyteller
Silje Nergaard - vocals
Hallgrim Bratberg - guitars
Håvar Bendiksen - guitars
Silje Nergaard is known and loved among old and young for her soft voice and melodic music. She has her own ability to make jazz music available to a wide audience, and now she is finally in Bergen again after a number of concerts both at home and abroad. Along the way, she has collaborated with Pat Metheny, John Scofield, Toots Thielemans and Tord Gustavsen, in addition to (having recorded) her own strong records that gave her Spellemann of the Year (award) in 2003. She herself creates a new vision for popular jazz music - a musical menu that is at the same time subtle and sophisticated, harmoniously complex and melodic catchy.
[Translation by Dag Sirnes]
Review in the newspaper Bergens Tidende on May 28 2012 with the title ''New spring for Nergaard''
Text: Hanne Farestvedt
Undisguised Nergaard in a attractive, new format
On the album "Unclouded" which came out earlier this year, Silje Nergaard stripped down the orchestrated and 'manufactured' expression at the intersection of pop and jazz which has been a trademark and a success factor for many years - and went back to her roots in many ways.
Childish spontaneity
With this album she has said that she would find her way back to the childish spontaneity and openness, and rediscover herself as an artist and vocalist. A kind of new start, simply.
It is this stripped-down side of Silje Nergaard the audience will see in Korskirken this Monday evening at 20:30 on 28 May, with large parts of the repertoire taken from the new album, interspersed with songs from his entire career. And some cover songs.
On the record she brings with her a number of great guitarists, such as Knut Reiersrud and John Scofield. In Korskirken it is only she and the guitarists Håvard Bendiksen and Hallgrim Bratberg - «my orchestra», as she calls them.
Attractive
It is a format Silje Nergaard obviously feels very comfortable in. And it turns out to be a format that suits her. Nergaard also demonstrates that such a narrow format does not have to be limiting. Bratberg and Bendiksen must take much of the credit for this with their exquisite finger work and suspenseful interaction.
At times, Silje Nergaard has appeared in such a thoroughly arranged and carefully directed packaging that it has been difficult to get the soul behind it.
Grooving «Tell me where ...»
Not to belittle great musicians and former stage partners like Jarle Vespestad or Tord Gustavsen, but in this naked format, Bendiksen and Bratberg manage to highlight Nergaard's artistic qualities, rather than wrap them in velvet.
Even such an annoying song as "Tell Me Where You're Going", which Silje Nergaard has performed every time I have heard her live, gets a new angle.
Bendiksen, who by the way appears to be a bit of an entertainer on his instrument during the concert, no longer makes this quite so annoying song groove something violent with his scatting.
Sensitive and near Radka signature
The leap from this more than 20-year-old hit to Jimmy Webb's "The Moon's A Harsh Mistress" could hardly have been greater. No one attacks Radka Toneff's signature without having to endure comparison. Silje Nergaard makes her version a warm and close highlight in Korskirken this evening. Completely undisguised.
Caption: STRIPPED: The nude format suits Silje Nergaard, according to our reviewer.
Photo: EIRIK BREKKE