Arild Andersen Group - Affirmation (2022) [24bi... Apr 2026

Originally, bassist Arild Andersen entered the studio with his quartet—featuring (tenor saxophone), Helge Lien (piano), and Håkon Mjåset Johansen (drums)—intending to record a set of predetermined compositions. However, on the second day of the session, Andersen suggested they pivot toward collective improvisation.

The album's final track is the only pre-composed piece—a melodic, gospel-tinged ballad that provides a grounding, hymn-like conclusion to the preceding improvisations. A Multigenerational Dialogue Arild Andersen Group - Affirmation (2022) [24Bi...

Arild Andersen Group's 2022 release, , stands as a testament to the enduring vitality of the "ECM sound"—a blend of crystalline production, spacious improvisation, and deep melodicism. Recorded at Oslo's Rainbow Studio during the pandemic, the album captures a veteran master collaborating with three rising stars of Norwegian jazz to create something entirely spontaneous. The Genesis of a Spontaneous Suite Originally, bassist Arild Andersen entered the studio with

A 23-minute exploration that begins with delicate, nocturnal atmosphere. It features "icy ripples" from Lien’s piano and searching, lyrical saxophone lines from Neset. It features "icy ripples" from Lien’s piano and

A shorter, more "tempestuous" sequence where the group's interplay becomes more forceful, at times recalling the energy of 1970s free-jazz roots.