Eriksen, Espen Trio - Almost There

After a highly successful string of 7 albums in 16 years – including two with prominent UK sax player Andy Sheppard – "Almost There" is yet another melodic masterclass from pianist and composer Espen Eriksen. Captivating and lyrical, always melodic and often melancholic and uplifting at the same time, these are all real tunes, whether instantly catchy or needing a couple of spins to grow.

Espen Eriksen Trio was formed in 2007 and released their debut album in 2010. An increasingly popular live act, they have toured on four continents with a wealth of rich material on their repertoire. The music relies on highly melodic and lyrical instrumentals, sometimes with a Nordic twist, and a “less is more” approach often credited by the international press for its unique voice within today’s jazz scene.

All three musicians have versatile backgrounds ranging from pop to jazz and have played with musicians like Bugge Wesseltoft, John Scofield, Joshua Redman, Dhafer Yousef, John Taylor, Vince Mendoza, Eivind Aarset, Knut Reisersrud, Mathias Eick, Nils Petter Molvær, Thomas Strønen, Odd Nordstoga, Håkon Kornstad, Jarle Bernhoft and Bendik Hofseth.