Christian Wallumrod Ensemble: Kurzsam and Fulger review – from hymnal to mischievous

Norwegian composer/pianist Christian Wallumrød has recorded solo and duo projects and one large-scale work with the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra in recent years, but this is a return to his long-running Ensemble’s quietly hymnal, beautifully harmonised and occasionally mischievous music. The leader is stripping his sound down even further though, with the group now a quintet (trumpet, sax, cello, percussion, keys), albeit an adaptable one with a sound palette embracing much sonic abstraction alongside conventional tonality. The opening is a catchy cowboy-music shuffle with a simple piano figure rising, falling and occasionally modulating; but the opposite soon follows, as monastic bell chimes are separated by lengthy pauses. Then come harmonium and horn harmonies underscored by Per Oddvar Johansen’s restless tom-toms, ambient hums, squabbly percussion mixed with sucked-wind and sax-reed sounds, faintly gospelly piano, and finally a prancing, stop-start dance. You have to listen closely, but Wallumrød’s musicality always rewards your trouble.