Eyolf Dale Trio

A musician with exceptional nuance, pianist Eyolf Dale's uniquely expressive improvisational voice is of ever-growing importance in the European scene. Following the success of his trios first album, Being (2021), as well as an extraordinary body of solo piano work, ‘The Wayfarers’ is their latest album with Eyolf’s long-term collaborators Per Zanussi and Audun Kleive.
‘The Wayfarers’ is a journey. From the warm optimism of the opening track through to melancholy and deep yearning and nostalgia which can be found in 'After the Party' and 'Fields of Kyiv,' the album truly captures the highs and lows, the twists and turns of life on the road. The album unfolds gradually, with each track an opportunity to stop and observe something that might have caught your attention along the way. For Eyolf, this opportunity to pause, reflect and admire is exactly what writing music is all about: "Music helps me to understand and realise what my feelings or emotions are about. It helps me to make choices in life. To be in contact with my own compass”
Eyolf's sound is instantly recognisable by its unique blend of Norwegian folk, jazz, and classical music - with a truly remarkable resemblance to composers like Chopin and Finzi for a pianist with no classical training. The use of the harpsichord-like Hammerspinet on ‘The Wayfarers’ injects a brightness and energy that makes this record like nothing you've heard before.
The trio has grown from strength to strength since releasing their debut album ‘Being’ (Edition Records, 2021) and is playing together more than ever before. The result is that ‘The Wayfarers’ is a much more collaborative process, with Per Zanussi and Audun Kleive involved in the writing at a much earlier stage. While Being was an intensely personal record, ‘The Wayfarers’ is about profound trust and collaboration, as Eyolf explains: 'The one thing that really I come back to every time is the empathy and the connection between people. There’s this special connection. It’s a matter of trust. They trust me to create music for them. And I trust them to deal with it in a manner that’s both respectful and disrespectful.'
A meeting of nordic folk, classical and jazz influences, Eyolf's music is profoundly lyrical and emotive. This is a beautiful album from one of Europe's finest piano trios.
Eyolf Dale, piano / Per Zanussi, bass / Audun Kleive, drums

PRESS REACTIONS, THE WAYFARERS:
“...an evocative journey through Dale's influences in jazz, classical and folk music”. Presto Music (UK)
"... stunning new trio album!" Open Jazz, France Musique, Jazz Trotter feature
"...nothing short of a triumph." UK Vibe 5 STARS *****
"...laid out like a musical road movie full of surprising soundscapes." WDR 3 Jazz (DE)
"A new flag bearer for Nordic jazz." 北欧ジャズの新たな担い手として注目したい. Jazz Life Magazine (JP)
"... a uniquely expressive album that burns brightly with life and imagination." UK Vibe 5 STARS *****
“Exquisite sound experience.” Aftenposten (NO) 5 STARS *****
"The Wayfarers is a big, moving album" NDR Jazz Album of the Week (DE)
"There is a vibrancy here that complements the darkness often in the writing …" Marlbank (UK)
"Whether this is the album of the year, is a bit early to say for sure, but that The Wayfarers is a candidate isn't in doubt." Dag og Tid (NO)
“Could be a soundtrack for a surreal ‘coming of age’ film, emotional and yet intangible, powerful and yet soaring into other spheres.” Kulturnews (DE)
“The bright metallic sound of 'The Sky At Sunset’' creates a kind of minimal music at twice the velocity: Steve Reich on speed.” Kulturnews (DE)
“The Wayfarers is the final proof that Eyolf Dale’s music and his trio belong with the very best, wherever we look.” Nettavisen (NO) (6/6) ******

Photo: Per Schorn