Klaus Ellerhusen Holm’s writing for the band Honest John may have the kind of ondulations and turnings you recognize from Anthony Braxton’s compositions, but the use of chamber music historical references and of folk instruments (like the banjo played by Kim Johannesen) give it a very different dimension. The way “Treem” associates abstract, experimental moments with passages of the most explicit, bop-ish, groovy jazz is another distinctive aspect in presence, benefiting from the contribution of the guest musician in this album, a star of the Dutch jazz scene, Ab Baars, whose tenor saxophone and clarinet reproduce all the patrimony of jazz in new ways, while his shakuhachi, a traditional bamboo Japanese flute, reinforces the idea that this project is inventing an imaginary folklore for the global village we all live in. This is the last release with the participation of violinist Ole-Henrik Moe, replaced by accordeonist Kalle Moberg after the recording of the present collection of pieces due to his ongoing commitments to his compositional work, being one of Norway most prominent contemporary composers.

You couldn’t have a more touching and vibrant farewell from his part, giving to Moberg a supplementar responsability in what concerns the realization of the Honest John beatiful utopia: to open up very specific music to a broader audience.

Sailors of Lichtenstein, Aristocrats and Treem composed by Klaus Ellerhusen Holm (Tono) and arranged by Honest John Von and Prince of Venosa composed by Ab Baars | Out of Doors, Fisheye and One thing after the other by Moe, Johannesen, Høyer, Nylander, Holm and Baars

Recorded by Christian Obermayer at Nasjonal Jazzscene Victoria, Oslo October 29th, 2016 | Mixed and mastered by Christian Obermayer May 2017
Produced by Honest John | Executive production by Pedro Costa for Trem Azul | Design by Travassos