The Wayfarers Eyolf Dale

• 1 The Wayfarer 04:26
• 2 Woodland Walk 05:19
• 3 Hidden Treasures 05:41
• 4 Behind The Curtains 03:06
• 5 A Current Peace Of Mind 04:24
• 6 After The Party 02:54
• 7 A Blacksmith's Tale 03:27
• 8 The Sky At Sunset 03:41
• 9 Fields Of Kyiv 05:09
• 10 The Homestead 04:28
• Total Runtime 42:35

Info for The Wayfarers

Capturing the highs and lows of life on the road, ‘The Wayfarers’ is the stunning new trio album from Norwegian pianist and composer Eyolf Dale.

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 first trio album, Being (2021), as well as an extraordinary body of solo piano work, ‘The Wayfarers’ is his latest album with 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, hammerspinet, celesta
Per Zanussi, bass, saw
Audun Kleive, drums

Eyolf Dale
was born in Skien, Norway 5th of March 1985. He started playing piano at the age of 6 years, and started taking lessons shortly after. In 2009 he finished his graduate studies in Performing jazz and improvisation at Norwegian Academy of Music, and in 2011 he completed the master’s program in improvisation.

Dale is known from both his solo work, successful collaborations with a great number of jazz artists, and from bands like Albatrosh, Hayden Powell Trio, Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, and more. He’s a touring and frequently recorded artist, and has contributed on most Norwegian jazz festivals in addition to international festivals such as the North Sea Jazz Festival, 12 Points!, Shanghai Arts Festival and Südtirol Jazz Festival. Both as a sideman and a solo performer, he has performed in countries such as the US, Germany, Nederlands, Poland, Czech Republic, Finland, Estonia, Denmark, Sweden, Japan, England, Ireland, South Africa, Tanzania, South Korea, Italy and China.

His solo work showcases the mature lyrical introspection that’s often associated with Norwegian jazz, but equally, there is an explorative curiosity and restless free elements that is becoming an emergent hallmark of the younger Nordic improvisers.

Aawards
“1st prize for pianists” Nomme Jazz, Tallinn Estonia, 2009
“Young Jazz Musicians of the year/JazzIntro “ Molde, 2008
Skien kommunes oppmuntringspris (encouragement award, City of Skien)
“Best band” in European Jazz Competition, North Sea Jazz 2009
SpareBank1 “JazZtipendiat” – Albatrosh 2012
Nominated for Spellemannprisen in the category of Jazz 2014

This album contains no booklet.