Personalia: ‘Jazz’ Solberg

Very few EIBA-members are aware of the fact that some years ago Carl Solberg indulged in recording a CD together with some friends, in the now ‘still-not-so-famous’ jazz band ‘Bb-gjengen’. The name refers to some of the limitations of the band, as the musicians basically play in the key Bb, simply because they find it easier to play in that key. Yet, sometimes they excel into other keys as well, such as F and G. While they consider themselves a real amateurs, they have now recorded a second CD, which is slightly different from the first one. The EIBA specialists with a more fine-tuned ear, will most likely observe some aberrations to the so-called ‘norm’ when they listen to the new CD. They play jazz and the improvisations they dive into may sometimes go beyond what they themselves define as musically defendable…

In fact Bb musicians have a long experience. Some of the musicians started to play together at primary school. For Fredrik and Jens Johan this was fifty two years ago, for Svenning and Carl it was forty seven years ago. The band itself was started thirty years ago about the time that EIBA got launched...). Although they have this long experience they consider themselves as real amateurs.

Some of he tunes are good old basic jazz songs which may be well familiar. The title song ‘I’m confessing that I love you’ is reflected in the cover as they (just like prisoners) very ‘mournfully’ confess their sins. Also the last song, ‘Please don’t talk to me when I’m gone’ needs some explanation because it states exactly the opposite from what they want to do.

Other songs are what might be called ‘jazzified’ folklore music from Norway and Sweden, well known at the northern latitude. They convey a sentiment of melancholy and longing and contrast some of the more lively traditional jazz. It is a good blend that should put the listeners in the right mood.

I hope that the EIBA members will have the opportunity to listen to this new contribution to the history of jazz (and maybe also of EIBA !!) and that we will be able to savour the Bb-gjengen either in a sleazy Norwegian bar or at some time during the Oslo conference.

Danny Van Den Bulcke, with thanks to Carl.