Odd-Arne Jacobsen was born on 29 December 1947. He stands today as a unique personal “voice” in European improvisation music, with his own distinctive tone language. Odd-Arne has worked with most of the leading artists in Norway in theatre and music and has also presented his art internationally. He has had his own television programme in Russia, as well as a solo concert at the Moscow International Jazz Festival and has toured the USA, Mexico, Russia, France, China, Kuwait, Scotland, and Japan. In 1990 he undertook a solo concert of his own compositions in Carnegie Hall, New York.
Odd-Arne Jacobsen have seen the pitfalls that come with excess – both artistic and personal – firsthand in the many years they’ve spent in the spotlight of an ever-colorful music scene, and he rightly want no part of it in their new single “Angel Eyes.”
Everything in this track is efficient, starting with the structure of the beat. The rhythm that guides and sets up the foundation for every climactic moment between the start and finish, alluding to a lack of hesitance all too swaggering for the listeners to evade.
We get an uplifting buzz from the pulsation of the groove and additional clarity on the narrative from the lyricism here, as opposed to the other way around, and although this might sound like a bit of an avant-pop concept on paper, it plays out in a streamlined fashion in “Angel Eyes.” After all, you don’t get as far as this artist has without learning a thing or two about juxtaposing melodic decadence with compositional self-control. We caught up with Odd Arne Jacobsen for an exclusive interview..
What inspired you to get into music?
I started get into music when I was 15 years old. I was inspired to be a musician by my uncle and my mum. My music interests do not depend on epochs or instrumentations. It ranges from, for example, the motet of “ Salve Regina“ by Palestrina (1525 – 1594) through John Dowland’s lute music, Puccini, Gustav Mahler, David Bowie, Django Reinhardt, Charlie Parker, Guru and Tupac Shakur , Rap Music, Miles Davis, Minnie Ripperton , Queen Latifa ,Lars Gullin, Jan Johansson, Willie Nelson , Laura Nyro, Joni Mitchell etc — etc. I drink of all sources and feel like traveling on a timeless sea musically. I compose in a timeless mode.
How would you describe your music?
With regard to developing a personal style, you do not get away with the question. For whom and for what do I do this – since it’s just made up of each of us, music should be personal – play like the one you are. Some general information is given to music through studies and schools. All things in a life: joy – sadness – defeat – will to seek – and constantly be unarmed with clichés – and do not think the same all the time. Much lies in the desire and not to let others break your vision of what music is based on just that it’s just one of us. It’s important to play as you hear. It has its price. Despite concerts in Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall NYC has its own material – Japan – China – France – Mexico – United Arab Emirates – Finland – Sweden – Iceland – Faroe Island – Russia – Netherland – Scotland etc. Today I havent been invited to any jazz festivals in Norway – So in many ways I exist in spite of – not because of the music environment in Norway that I experience molded for people who fit in – I do not fit in.
When is your new EP’s are released?
The release date for “ Angel Eyes” was May 07, 2021.
What guitars did you use on it?
I used an Gibson Byrdland. And The whole EP was recorded in one take at my music room in Oslo, Norway.
Listen to ‘Angel Eyes’ on Spotify by clicking here