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Norwegian postjazz/rocktronica

抱著欣喜的心情聆聽著挪威十人大樂隊Jaga Jazzist的第三張專輯"What we must" ，有著許多說不出的音樂奇遇與驚喜。曾經懷疑耳裡傳來的可是Jaga Jazzist的樂音？他們2001年的首張專輯"A Livingroom Hush"曾經被英國BBC聽眾票選為Jazz Album Of The Year；2003年第二張專輯"The Stix"獲選英國音樂雜誌Wire年度最佳專輯第26名，一張被形容為類似Tortoise等Chicago Sound的破格大作。Jaga Jazzist獲得了空前的成功，無論在家鄉奧斯陸亦或是世界各地，我想他們是全挪威最棒的樂團。Jaga Jazzist成軍於挪威Tonsberg，由當時年僅14歲的創作主腦Lars Horntveth所領軍。樂隊的首張音樂作品"J aevla Jazzist Grete Stitz"與"Magazine EP"分別發行於96及98年，由Supersilent、Motorpsycho、Deathprod的Helge Sten擔任其製作人。樂隊首張正式專輯"A Livingroom Hush"則發行於2001年，分別由Joakim Haugland的Smalltown Supersound與英國藝術音樂廠牌Ninja Tune發行，當年Jaga Jazzist令我們見識到他們是如何從Aphex Twin、Squarepusher、Tortoise、Stereolab、Talk Talk以及John Coltrane等人身上涉取到綜合Electro-Jazz的養份，透過愉快奔放的曲調贏得世人的喝采。然而Jaga Jazzist並未因此而感到自滿，隨後第二張專輯"The Stix"以及主腦Lars Horntveth的個人專輯"Pooka"可說是再接再厲，為他們打破了爵士與電子音樂的籓籬，發展出屬於Jaga Jazzist的招牌postjazz/rocktronica。

What we must

第三張專輯"What we must"可說是Jaga Jazzist將postjazz/rocktronica推至巔峰的奇幻鉅作。單從專輯開場的兩首歌曲All I Know Is Tonight、Stardust Hotel便已明白昭示了回歸Post-Rock/Prog-Rock等根源的澎湃激昂路線。這樣的轉變或許會教昔日Jaga Jazzist追隨者有些不能適應，但在For All You Happy People、Oslo Skyline裡，Jaga Jazzist又巧妙地引來熟悉的舊影與猶如先前Lars Horntveth個人出發時的Acoustic演奏與Jazz Music因子。Swedenborgske Rom則是重投Reeds、Keyboard等樂器伴奏的輕柔浪漫曲調，也展現了Jaga Jazzist的內省。Mikado則與Shining的新碟"In the Kingdom of Kitsch You Will Be a Monster"有著異曲同工之效(分別是Jaga Jazzist成員)，透過昂揚的Fuzz Guitar引領我們見到Motorpsycho、The Notwist的影子。而尾曲I Have A Ghost, Now What?更是一次投身Synths如夢似幻與輕巧打擊、簧管樂器奔馳的史詩典範。而這回"What we must"更獻上4曲Bonus CD，分別是Mikado (Spydeberg demo) 、All I Know Is Tonight (Piethopraxis rough rough mix) 、Stardust Hotel (demo) 以及Swedenborgske Rom (Spydeberg demo)可說是彌足珍貴。目前演出行程滿檔的Jaga Jazzist，足跡遍及歐陸各地，相信這波挪威新爵士、音樂新浪漫風潮很快地襲捲至各地，真的找不出一個不聽Jaga Jazzist的理由。What We Must?

Website http://www.jagajazzist.com/v2/

Label http://www.smalltownsupersound.com/news.php

You can see pictures from the video and the set HERE

Tracklist

1. All I Know Is Tonight

2. Stardust Hotel

3. For All You Happy People

4. Oslo Skyline

5. Swedenborgske Rom

6. Mikado

7. I Have A Ghost, Now What?

Bonus CD

1. Mikado (Spydeberg demo)

2. All I Know Is Tonight (Piethopraxis rough rough mix)

3. Stardust Hotel (demo)

4. Swedenborgske Rom (Spydeberg demo)

The Band

Mathias Eick – Trumpet, upright bass, keyboards + vibraphone
Harald Frøland – Guitars + effects
Even Ormestad – Bass + keyboards
Andreas Mjøs – Vibraphone, guitars, drums + electronics
Line Horntveth – Tuba + percussion
Martin Horntveth – Drums + drum-machines
Lars Horntveth – Tenor sax, bass-clarinet, guitars + keyboards
Andreas Schei – Keyboards
Ketil Einarsen – Flutes, Wind Controler, percussion + keyboards
Lars Wabø - Trombone + percussion

Discography

A Livingroom Hush 2001 Smalltown Supersound/2002 Ninja Tune/2002 Beat Ink(Japanese Edition)

The Stix 2003 Smalltown Supersound/Ninja Tune

What We Must 4.4 2005 Smalltown Supersound/Ninja Tune

Days 12" 2002 Smalltown Supersound/2004 Ninja Tune / Smalltown Supersound

Animal Chin EP 12" + CD 2003 Golden Standard Labs Motorpsycho + Jaga Jazzist Horns In the fishtank - CD + Vinyl 2003 Konkurrent

Magazine - Reissue, International Edition / New Kim Hiorthøy cover art 2004 Smalltown Supersound

Lars Horntveth – Pooka 2004 Smalltown Supersound

Martin Horntveth - Fast Motion/Skull EP 12" 2005 Smalltown Supersound

Tahiti 80 - Changes 12" 2005 Atmoshperiques