Before Dawn vinyl

The Oddgeir Berg trio, an outfit named, in true jazz fashion, after its best-known member, is apparently made up of musicians who have previously preferred to stay in the shadows. Having provided instrumental backing on various Scandinavian jazz albums, they've now decided to go it alone. Thus, the Oslo-based trio has recorded Before Dawn, a quietly impressive debut album on Ozella Music. While Berg's fluid and attractive piano playing and keys solos naturally take centre stage, he wisely allows double bassist Karl-Joakim Wisloff and drummer Klaus Robert Bromvilk to share the limelight. That means occasional dexterous double bass solos, ear catching drumming, and compositions - both up-tempo and heart-achingly poignant - that cannily get the best out of all three musicians.