The Nidaros Concert to be released in March

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Less than half a year since the release of The Trondheim Concert, my new solo album will be released on March 31st. This one is called The Nidaros Concert, and it is a 1 hour 45 minutes long improvised solo concert, recorded in Dokkhuset on October 10th 2022. It sounds much better than the last one, and has a quite different character as well. I will be counting the days until this release, and can’t wait to share it with you!

This spring I will be playing three solo concerts, promoting both my previous and my upcoming album:

March 15th: Catharinakapel, Harderwijk, Netherlands
March 23rd: Vinterfestuka, Narvik, Norway
April 28th: Soddjazz, Inderøy, Norway

The Trondheim Concert is out now!

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I’m extremely proud of my new solo album, and now you can hear it too! Choose your preferred streaming service at at this landing site or order the CD/LP at NXN Recordings

This recording is a special one, and my most high-risk and personal album to date. It’s an unedited live-recording from Nov 13th 2019 at Dokkhuset, Trondheim, with only improvised music. I’ll post the whole story later, as it provides valuable context to the listening experience. For now, just listen with your ears and heart and I hope you enjoy my album!

Review and feature in Jazzwise (UK)!

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A two-page interview was published in the November 2022 issue of Jazzwise – UK’s largest jazz magazine, and I’m happy to be featured as an artist that’s “taking off”. The Trondheim Concert was reviewed in detail, also by Stuart Nicholson, and was given four stars and an Editor’s Choice remark! It was also listed on The Jazzwise Chart of November 2022. Read the whole review here!

“If the solo piano concert lost its main storyteller in recent times, then there is a voice in Norway that offers a different, but equally compelling narrative.”

“Impressive stuff – the future of spontaneously-improvised solo concert is in safe hands”.

4/5, Editor’s Choice, Stuart Nicholson, Jazzwise Nov 2022

First review of The Trondheim Concert, 5/5!

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The first review of The Trondheim Concert, due Oct 28th, has arrived and it’s a good read. To put it mildly. Check it out, and stay tuned for the release of my most personal and ambitious album to date.

This is so good, brilliant actually. The music I’m listening to for the first time is stunning. As the album progresses, I am astonished at how beautiful this is, on every level. After several listens through, my considered appraisal would be this; What we have here, is quite possibly one of the finest improvised solo piano performances I have had the pleasure of listening to in the last decade or so.

Mike Gates, UK Vibe.org
Espen Berg ‘The Trondheim Concert’ LP/2CD (NXN Recordings) 5/5

Fjære is out!

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Espen Berg Trio’s new album, Fjære, was released on May 20th 2022! You can find it on your favorite streaming service, or check out this link: orcd.co/fjaere

Big thanks to Odin Records and Propeller Music Division for working with us on this new recording, and also to our fantastic guest artists: Mathias Eick, Silje Nergaard and Hanna Paulsberg. The beautiful artwork was drawn by my brother, Andreas Berg.

Here are some quotes from the press reviews:

Espen Berg Trio is and has a voice that is completely unique, which is only getting stronger and stronger. The most recent confirmation is called Fjære and is a true pleasure.

Nettavisen (NO), rating 5/6

Piano, bass and drums work so cohesively together that they’re like three parts of the same brain, all working together in harmony. […] Great music well worth checking out.

UKVibe, Mike Gates, rating 4/5

Their music is characteristic of northern European jazzmen who know how to set a mood beautifully. Travel and change of scenery guaranteed!

France Info, Radio France (FR)

Let’s salute the quality of Espen Berg’s compositions as much as his piano playing and let us immerse ourselves in an album full of sweetness and freshness.

Jazznicknames (FR)

This album highlights the strengths of this working trio and the inspiring ways that distinct and strong melodies are translated into profound and playful dynamics that make this collective much stronger than its parts. 

Salt-Peanuts.eu, Eyal Hareuveni

The surplus possessed by these three musicians makes the complex and heavy compositions easy for the listener to follow.

Jazznytt (NO)

All in all, Fjære is an excellent album

Dag og Tid (NO)

A new classic

Morgenbladet (NO)