Karl Seglem
New North (Ozella Music, 2004)
Urbs (Ozella Music, 2007)
Norwegian musician Karl Seglem plays contemporary European jazz, a style that many times combines classical chamber music with jazz improvisation. Seglem masterfully plays tenor sax and goat horns and uses an assortment of acoustic and electric instruments.
On New North, Seglem performs several instrumental pieces that range from jazz to neoclassical. Some of the best tracks, however, are the ones featuring vocals. The evocative Berit Opheim appears on several songs, singing traditional Norwegian folk songs treated with exquisite arrangements.
A great discovery is the other guest vocalist, male singer Odd Nordstoga, who adds a dreamy and seductive quality to Seglem’s music.
Urbs is an instrumental effort. It features more electronic sounds than New North. Seglem also uses the goat horn extensively throughout the album. Jazz sounds are combined with global electronica, rock and Norwegian folk. Seglem’s habitual collaborator, Hardanger fiddler Hakon Hogemo participates in most of the album, adding a delightful touch of Norwegian folk.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
