Affirmation, the ensemble’s debut album, is almost entirely the product of spontaneous interaction, often inspired by Andersen, whose contra bass acts as the voice of reason – probing, pushing, suggesting tempo, key centre, and atmosphere. Group empathy is key, everybody is listening to each other and being open enough to let things happen, trusting the actions of those around them to contribute to the overall ambiance and texture as it evolves.

Bassist Arild Andersen has been a key presence on the Norwegian jazz scene for more than five decades, emerging as a vital sideman on the early groundbreaking early recordings of Jan Garbarek before launching his own prolific run as a bandleader. This recent quartet consists of musicians more than half his age, revealing his ongoing curiosity and openness to new stylis tic threads.