It has been a couple of years since Master Oogway‘s last outing and we all know how the intervening period has been for musicians.
Instead of entering the studio, they have chosen to release a live recording made with flautist Henriette Eilertsen at Oslo’s jazz hotspot Kafé Hærverk; this performance, chosen from a series that they performed toward the end of 2020, primarily showcases the writing of bassist Karl Erik Horndalsveen, with one track co-written with guitarist Havard Nordberg Funderud and perhaps because of this Happy Village is a very different beast to the previous Earth And Other Worlds.
If anything, Karl Erik’s writing is more open and there are subtle tropical influences that mean the album swings in a very easy and seductive way. Longform opener “Heading Home”, though, is all about Henriette’s flute and its playful woodland vibe, throaty yet sweet, pours all over the soundscape, trickling through any gaps. The rest of the group leave space aplenty, stretching slowly with brief gestures that allow the flute to shine.
There is a gradual awakening with limber bass and a rustle of drums surrounding points of light generated by the guitar. It evokes the feeling of watching a street come to life as the day’s energy starts to flow into it. All the way through, the flute dips and dives, shimmering in the early sunlight; it is a real virtuoso performance that never settles or retreads the same ground. There is even room here for a rubbery, expansive drum solo that feels perfectly in keeping with the evening, and you can imagine the rest of the group taking a breather and watching along with the audience. It is a welcoming introduction; so when the sax takes over the lead, the effect becomes a little woozier. Over a jaunty, jazzy rumba rhythm the drums tumble and traipse while the sax meanders like the older sibling watching the energetic flute and then choosing a whole other way to express their joy. It is free to saunter up and down the register, but the playing always stays lucid and welcoming.There is one section where the group feels as though they are attempting to write an anthem for a crazed yet grateful nation. There is an odd kind of structure, but still everybody has the opportunity to let off some steam. It slowly descends into sleepy fragments as their own energy peters out, with little vibrant bursts just sneaking out to show the thrill is still there.
As a live recording, it is impressive; the fidelity is fantastic and the group captured beautifully to a point where this would be difficult to replicate in the studio. The joy of playing together is unbounded, but where things slow to a gentle two-step, the players present one another with plenty of opportunities to follow their whims, and I imagine that to have been part of the audience would have been quite a privilege.The unusual choices of rhythm make it all the more engaging and Erik’s deft and generous bass playing lays a canvas for the other players to shine. Happy Village is a really enjoyable outing and I wonder whether the other live performances could be afforded a similar production.
-Mr Olivetti-
