The Whole Music Experience

Sondre Bratland and Annbjorg Lien Everywhere Kirkelig Kultureverksted Two of Norway’s biggest musical talent, singer/balladeer Sondre Bratland and hardanger fiddler Annbjorg Lien combine their talents on Everywhere . The throaty laments of the fiddle frame Bratland’s baritone voice on this wintry album. “For a number of years the duo of Sondre Bratland and Annbjorg Lien has been performing concerts in Norwegian churches. This CD Everywhere presents their fully ripened versions of Norwegian religious folk songs.” (Liner notes). The recording features lively and somber songs. The Norwegian folk elements are most evident on the lilting melodies sung in Norwegian and the folk fiddling that rivals American bluegrass with its twang and twists. Both Bratland and Lien have produced several critically-acclaimed albums over the decades, though Lien is decades younger than Bratland who is a true veteran of Norwegian folk and sacred music. Lien performed with her own band for sever...

Sondre Bratland This Dream We Have Kirkelig Kulturverksted Now in his 70s, Sondre Bratland released a new recording, This Dream We Have . The recording features simple instrumental arrangements that provide a light backdrop for Bratland's signature vocals. Bratland also surfs through a variety of musical genres which he has grown fond of over the years, ballads, folk songs, a little bit of Latin music ( Dream and reality ), and country western. However this CD also has been spiced with a jazz element. Norwegian poet Olav H. Hauge's poems provide the text for this recording. Multi-instrumentalist Knut Reiersrud, fiddle player Annbjorg Lien, drummer Helge Norbakken and multi-instrumentalist Matthias Eick (double-bass, trumpet and vibraphone), bring a palette of vibrant colors and textures to the recording. I Always Expect to Find features understated guitar, sultry trumpet, and the chime of vibraphone. In fact, this is the second Norwegian recording in the past weeks in...