ACTS is a new and young modern jazz trio featuring Norwegian vibes player Amund Stenøien, who leads his own quartet, ASQ, fellow Norwegian acoustic bass player Gard Kronborg, who also plays in ASQ, and Argentinian, Berlin-based drummer Axel Filip, known for his collaborative work with fellow Argentinian sax player Camila Nebbia. The Unconscious is the debut album of the trio and it was recorded in Trondheim on May 2023, after a few successful performances of the trio in Norway.
The music of this trio is rooted in the jazz legacy but without subscribing to any specific school. It revolves around the distinct, resonant sound of Stenøien’s vibes with its pedals, caressed by the seductive rhythm section of Kronborg and Filip. The six compositions were penned by Filip (three), Kronborg (two) and Stenøien, and all explore the rhythmic possibilities of such a format.
Stenøien’s gentle ballad «Sloth» is the most beautiful piece on this fine album and its slow and patient pace stresses the individual voices of the trio. Kronborg’s playful «Corea» and «Jumba» tell about the seminal influence of the master pianist on the aesthetics of ACTS.
Eyal Hareuveni
Amund Stenøien (vibraphone), Gard Kronborg (acoustic bass), Axel Filip (drums)
