David StAckenÄs – guitar
Klaus Ellerhusen Holm – sax, clarinet

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REVIEWS

Album review:
Stackenäs / Ellerhusen Holm – Dayton’s Bluff

FREISTIL MAGAZIN
MARCH 2019

Album review:
Stackenäs / Ellerhusen Holm – Dayton’s Bluff

Vital Weekly

David Stäckenas (acoustic guitar) and Klaus E. Holm (alto saxophone, Bb clarinet) debuted at the Kontak Festival in Tromso, Norway, 2013. They are true improvisers combining elements of folk and modern composed music. With “Dayton ́s Bluff” they present the first document of their collaboration. Holm studied jazz at the Trondheim Music Conservatory and composition at the Norwegian Academy of Music. He is a member of Paal Nilsson-Love ́s Large Unit, Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, Honest John, International Breakthrough, etc. Balrog is the name of his own trio originally completed by Roger Arntzen and Ivar Grydeland. Nowadays David Stäckenas is a member of this unit, replacing Grydeland since 2016. Stackenäs is a guitarist from Stockholm, who debuted in 2000 with an impressive solo-album. Multiple collaborations led him all over the planet. Their cd opens with two live improvisations, recorded at the Blow Out in Oslo in 2016. What follows are five improvisations recorded in the home studio of Stackenas in Stockholm. Stackenas seems a Derek Bailey-influenced guitarist to me, but allowing himself more repetition of patterns, as did Bailey. Melodic, folk-influenced elements are somewhere in the background. Holm plays with timbre most of the time. Their improvisations have something sober and dry, but they are fascinating and worthwhile throughout, following a strong inner logic. Very pure and physical. These guys create focused interactions that are really dialogue, leading up to interesting sound sculptures, with some dazzling moments during the way.

Album review:
Stackenäs / Ellerhusen Holm – Dayton’s Bluff

Album review:
Stackenäs / Ellerhusen Holm – Dayton’s Bluff

BLOW UP MAY 2019

Album review:
Stackenäs / Ellerhusen Holm – Dayton’s Bluff

BAD ALCHEMY APRIL 2019