HELGE LIEN TRIO / Norway

Pianist Helge Lien undoubtedly stands out as one of Scandinavia's most exciting young talents, known for his mastery of the art of modal piano. The trio has earned a devoted following with its blend of classic impressionist motifs and rhythmically complex jazz compositions, showcasing an endless well of creativity. Building bridges between different cultures and working with contrasts have always been at the core of his approach.
 
Scandinavian, especially Norwegian, jazz aesthetics have become a concept. One of its lesser-known faces is the pianist Helge Lien (1975). In recent years he has also developed a passion for photography and digital image processing and has a passion for strong melancholy, dynamism and detail.
Building bridges between different cultures and working with contrasts have always been at the core of his approach. Lien has never hidden his deep respect and admiration for the pioneers, from Miles and Chick Corea to Jarrett and John Coltrane. In Norway, he is active in a number of musical contexts: the unusual trio Tri O'Trang (tuba with saxophone), the Hero duo with saxophonist Rolf Erik Nystrøm, various projects with female singers, etc. The core of his activities is, however, the piano trio with bassist Frode Berg, the drummer By Knut Aalefjær.
 
The Helge Lien Trio project - Revisited
 Having built a loyal following, most notably in Germany and Japan, the Helge Lien Trio brings their finely balanced melodies to concerts around the world, balancing impressive virtuosity with inherent accessibility and introspective lyricism with exuberant expressionism. Helge Lien has developed his own unmistakable style of trio playing. With instinctive certainty, he and his musicians have developed their own take on chamber jazz that stands out for its harmonically complex tone colors. Building on the lyrical power of Bill Evans and the stirring melancholic playing of Esbjörn Svensson, Lien creates distinct moods both recorded and live in constant dialogue with Johannes Eick (bass) and Knut Aalefjær (drums).
 
Helge Lien (piano)
Knut Aalefjær (percussion)
Johannes Eick (double bass)