Håvard Nordberg Funderud is a young Norwegian guitarist-composer-improviser-educator, known for his work with the fusion quartet Master Oogway and the Norwegian-German free improv quartet Letters From Nowhere. The Birds Sing a Pretty Song is Funderud’s first project credited to him as a bandleader and composer. Funderud leads an unconventional sextet that invites the listener into a musical journey through fiery free jazz, delicate and eerie, ambient soundscapes and weird melodies, all wrapped in suggestive titles, enhanced by the psychedelic cover of Danish visual artist Kristoffer Møllegaard.

Funderud plays the guitar, organ, synth and percussion and he is joined by like-minded, young improvisers – bassist Petter Abjørnsen (who also plays in Letters From Nowhere), trumpeter Ben Rodney, sax player Sigrid Aftret (who plays in Sex Magick Wizards and is the leader of the Norwegian-French quintet Bêl), and drummers Ingvald Vassbø (who also plays in Sex Magick Wizards) and Tore Ljøkelsøy (who also plays in Bêl).

The Birds Sing a Pretty Song was recorded at Atheltic Sound in Halden and released by the label he co-founded with Henrik Sandstad Dalen (who plays with Funderud in Rowland´s EVIL JAZZ TRIO), Nice Things Records. The ten pieces feature a well-rehearsed and powerful sextet that relies on complex and tight dynamics, relying on the commanding guitar playing of Funderud and its propulsive rhythm section and flirting with prog-rock and fusion but is also eager to take risks. The highlights of this promising project are the touching ballad «Perhaps that’s a story I’ll save for another time», the cathartic attack of «Party Banger», the open improvisation of the title piece, and the enigmatic soundscape of «The milk will get cold on you pretty soon».

Eyal Hareuveni  

Håvard Nordberg Funderud (guitar, organ, synthesizer, percussion), Petter Asbjørnsen (bass, percussion), Ben Rodney (trumpet), Sigrid Afrret (saxophone), Ingvald Vassbø (drums), Tore Ljøkelsøy (drums, prepared guitar)