The Sofa Guys

[Nate Dorward]

What do people make of Norwegian improvisors like Ingar Zach & Ivar Gyrdeland? Just got a couple recent Sofa releases--a Zach/Grydeland duo & the recent No Spaghetti Edition disc--& am digging through them. So far the verdict is that while they're not especially surprising--Grydeland does a more spacious, prettier take on Derek Bailey's guitar style, for instance--they're pretty good discs nonetheless. Other that this pair all I've heard is a Sofa sampler with single tracks from the encounters with Oxley, Bailey, &c.--mostly quite intriguing stuff.

[Dan G]

I like them, mostly. But then again, I like traditional european free improv even if it isn't innovative. I don't think the first Zach/Grydelland disc was very good, and the Zach/Bailey disc was pretty mediocre (and the more recent one on Incus just as bad). But the recent duo - called something like "you should have heard me before we met" is pretty nice. They've obviously been influenced by some of the eai people they've been working with. I just today heard the new Zach solo, and it's pretty interesting - sparse chimes, gongs, drums etc with a backdrop buzz that is, I think, an ebowed snare. Similar to the last duo.

NSE are generally pretty good. The earlier ones are more plink plonk efi. Hard to say how to pick among them, because even though they all have very different lineups the concept seems to be a very socialist 'no standout' playing (though I think it is the second one that has one of the best solos I've heard in while, but I haven't figured out what it is!)

Other stuff on the label... I like the wazahugy disc a lot - noisy crazy stuff. The Oxley one is OK but you can't really hear the bass. Theres one with Paul Lovens that I need to listen to again to really decide on...kind of liked it on first listen but thought it could use some editing. What else? There's a solo bass album by I. Haker Flaten that is pretty good. Wasn't impressed with the solo Paal Nilssen-Love. Like the Sten Sandell albums, but I think he's an acquired taste and you either love him or hate him. Then there's a solo organ disc by some guy I've never heard of, don't care if I don't ever again.

[Nate Dorward]

Thanks for the quick hits. I fear to speak the name, but Ben Watson seems keen on these guys (though one wonders if he still is given their shift in an e.a.i. direction)--actually the Llaer Zach/Bailey duet was his pick for his Top-Ten in 2002, FWIW. I don't know, both the discs I heard were fine, indeed the new duo album is quite enjoyable, but weren't standout releases either.