CALLING SIGNALS 08

Frode Gjerstad - alto/clarinets

Paal Nilsson-Love - drums

Lol Coxhill - soprano

Nick Stephens - bass

FRODE GJERSTAD - Alto and Clarinets

Norwegian reeds player Frode Gjerstad's relationship with John Stevens, started in 1981 and lasted up until his death in 1994 Together, they led the trio "Detail" featuring Johnny Dyani on bass and after Johnny died in -86, Kent Carter. Voted Jazz Musician of the Year in Norway in 1997, part of the prize was a concert where he could freely choose which musicians to use. This was the first meeting with Hamid Drake and William Parker. The concert became a tour of Scandinavia in -97 and the US in 2000.

US Pianist Borah Bergman has also been important to Frode. They first met in -94 and have played as a duo and also as trio with Evan Parker. He made two records with Derek Bailey for Emanem and a ten different duos project for FMR. He has released over fifty records in total. His latest project is the 2008 version of the twelve piece improvising Circulasione Totale Orchestra which features US musicians Sabir Mateen, Bobby Bradford and Kevin Norton Drummers Louis Moholo and Paal Nilsson-Love, bassists Nick Stephens and Ingabrit Haker Flaten.

“Gjerstad has a crying alto tone that has a searing emotional directness. starting with simple, insistent themes he skilfully builds extended improvisations out of fleet, leaping lines colored with a chilling, souldful directness. He plays with the command and authority of a mature musician who has honed a personal voice, while continuing to push in new directions.” - Cadence, USA, Michael Rosenstein

"Frode Gjerstad may be the heaviest Norwegian alto saxophonist you've never heard of. His melodic phrases are punchy and surprising, soaring, at times beyond the Milky Way". - Jazziz, USA, -Sam Prestianni

Frode http://www.frodegjerstad.com

PAAL NILSSON-LOVE - Drums

Probably the busiest and most celebrated drummer in free jazz today, Paal was raised in a jazz club in Stavanger, run by his parents from 1979-86 it was natural to choose his father's drums as his instrument and jazz as his work. An old friend of his father (artist Terry Love) and a regular visitor to the club was John Stevens an early influence. From 1990 on he took an active part in the jazz milieu in Stavanger and joined bands with established musicians such as trumpeter Didrik Ingvaldsen and saxophonist Frode Gjerstad. Paal's portfolio includes Peter Brötzmann's Chicago Tentet, Scorch Trio, The Thing, duos and groups with Ken Vandermark, Mats Gustafsson, John Butcher, Evan Parker. He has made numberless performances at festivals and clubs in Europe, USA, Canada and two visits to Japan this year and has participated on more than 50 recordings. Like Pat Metheny put it in 2002, after having played with Paal at Molde International Jazz festival: "He is simply one of the best new musicians I've heard during the latest years!" And after having heard Paal in 9 different settings at the same festival, Down Beat reporter Dan Quelette stated: "His week at Molde proved a revelation: Nilssen-Love is one of the most innovative, dynamic and versatile drummers in jazz!"

NICK STEPHENS - Acoustic Bass

Nick Stephens joined John Stevens Away, playing electric bass, in 1976. The group made 3 albums and 2 singles with Phonogram Records, 2 appearances on The Old Grey Whistle Test, national tours, radio broadcasts etc. Stevens/Stephens continued to be a regular partnership until John's death in 1994 with Nick playing in: The Dance Orchestra, Freebop, Folkus, Fast Colour and many gigs and workshops. It was John who introduced Nick to Frode when they played at the Stavanger Jazz Club. In 1995 Frode and Nick started working together as "Calling Signals". And in 1997, after a live duo BBC3 broadcast from the old Vortex they released a duo CD 'North Atlantic Drift. They also have a trio 'Instinctual Eye' with US percussionist Kevin Norton. Nick started Loose Torque Records in 2006 and the label has seventeen releases.

“It turns out that Nick Stephens is one of the best acoustic bassists to emerge from the UK in many years.” - Downtown Music - USA

“...more than just a complimentary presence he draws expertly on his instrument's wide communicative range to make sustained, substantial and imaginative statements.” - The Wire UK

“One of the great international bass players, on whom you can rely whatever the situation.” - Improjazz - France

“Stephens' beautiful arco underlines the most intriguing sections, while his fingered phrasing constitutes the backbone of short bursts of total freedom.” - Touching Extremes – Italy

"Nick Stephens thrives in a trio where he can soak up space with booming long notes, slip in a sleek line between the splash of cymbals and the texture of a horn, and place otherworldly arco color in the foreground. The bassist is the fulcrum of two of the better albums by improvising trios this year” - Bill Shoemaker at Point Of Departure USA

LOL COXHILL

Between 1947 and 1949 the teenage Lol Coxhill organised club sessions comprising live contemporary jazz plus recordings of modern jazz musicians such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Lennie Tristano, Miles Davis and Stan Kenton. This led to a lifetime dedicated to jazz playing with a vast range of musicians including Sonny G and the G Men, Joe Harriott, Tubby Hayes, Rufus Thomas, Martha & the Vandellas, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Mose Allison, Otis Spann, Champion Jack Dupree, Lowell Fulson, Alexis Korne, Kevin Ayers, David Bedford, Mike Oldfield , Trevor Watts 'Moire Music', The Spontaneous Music Ensemble, AMM, Melody Four (with Steve Beresford and Tony Coe), Adam Bohman and many more

Lol Coxhill has also worked occasionally in television and films with a part in Sally Potter's London story, Ken Campbell and Nigel Evans' The madness museum and Derek Jarman's Caravaggio.