Elephant9

Greatest Show On Earth

It's not often a "jazz" band take the big step from the club scene to a 1300 capacity
rock venue like Oslo's Rockefeller. But then again, Elephant9 is not your ordinary jazz
band. Often being named Norway's best live band - surely quite rare for an
instrumental band - they are equally popular in jazz and rock circles. On this, their fifth
studio album, Elephant9 are back to the core trio of their first two albums; Ståle
Storlokken, Nikolai Hængsle and Torstein Lofthus, three of Norway's finest musicians.
"The Greatest Show On Earth" displays some truly astonishing playing and is a more
dynamic, structured and focused album with all tracks clocking in around the six
minute mark. It's also very much a trio effort where all members are equal, and not
only a vehicle for a soloist. Ståle Storlokken (keyboards) is widely considered the most
inventive keyboard player on the Norwegian scene, his playing with bands like
Supersilent, Humcrush, Motorpsycho, Terje Rypdal and countless others being firm
testament to this. Nikolai Hængsle (bass) is since long a member of popular rock
group Big Bang as well as Ketil Moster's quartet Moster!, Needlepoint and Band Of
Gold. Torstein Lofthus (drums) is probably the most in demand session drummer in
Norway. "Lashes of mellotron and textured guitars create a sprawling psychedelic jazz
epic. Few have come close to the greatness of this in recent years. " Record Collector
(UK) "There's no denying the thrusting vitality charging through the snaking chicanes
conjured by this formidable fusion unit. " Jazzwise (UK)