Dear listener!
It has been great pleasure to work together with such eminent artists as Nguyên Lê, Gary Husband and Per Mathisen, in making this album. We first met as a group, performing at European festivals and venues in 2023. After a few concerts in Norway, January 2024, Odd Gjelsnes invited us to do a recording in Oslo for his label. The idea was to present compositions from all of the band members, aiming to create a musical common ground that could work as a whole.
In the opening tune, «Living», Nguyên Lê´s sound and artistic signature add a beautiful flavor to the theme. His Vietnamese influence and trademark is present from the very start of this album, which continues with Nguyên ´s composition “Threads of Red Silk”. «Spirit Be» is an intriguing Gary Husband – tune with several original solutions that open up for soloists. My compositions “Voyage I & II” are both based on the same musical idea, first played rubato with guitar and piano, then tutti with a distinct rhythmical progress. “Transatlantic” was created from a synthesizer pattern and developed further with several themes and solo parts. A kind of hectic travel, with lots of action in there.
“The Fjords” is my hommage to our volunarable nature and environments in Norway. Pristine nature is constantly under pressure, and it is vital to preserve our untouched areas, for future generations.
«Stone or Gold» is another characteristic Nguyên – tune, with its folkloric and life-affirming atmosphere. My long time co-partner in music, Per Mathisen, brings to the table his fearless arrangement of Samuel Barber’s classic «Adagio for strings». A powerful bass intro leads into a high speed energy solo section. This is a Barber version you won´t miss!
«Distant waters» takes it all down deep again with a guitar and piano duo, where we improvise over a given idea. Gary Husband´s second song contribution, «Ancestors», has recurring themes that gradually build up a truly epic piece of music. On this track Gary plays both drums and keyboards. Nguyên ´s beautiful ballad «Seerene» ends our musical voyage, with a core of beauty, sincerity and hope, things that the world definitely needs today!
Jan Gunnar Hoff, February 2025.
Reviews:
Jazz-Fun Germany: «This music tells stories – impressively and vividly. It takes us on a journey that we experience from beginning to end as if in one breath. A fantastic album that we highly recommend!» (Jacek Brun, June 21, 2025)
Jazz Journal UK: “Norwegian Jan Gunnar Hoff’s model of Scandi-fusion sends sparks off the rails for this album, with a quartet whose members constitute what popsters might call a supergroup”.
Music Map (Italy): “The power of “Voyage” lies in its ability to enhance the individual touches and make them something greater than the sum of the individual elements: in its being “cultured”, the jazz signed by Jan Gunnar Hoff group is also very accessible, material for the lovers of the genre, undoubtedly, but not only” .
Dionizy Piatkowski, Era Jazzu (Poland): “Under the name Jan Gunnar Hoff Group are four world jazz stars who find themselves most fully in fashionable and energetic fusion, but now with the project “Voyage” they show the subtlety and calm color of their – created with an interesting idea – sounds and moods. The music recorded, which, despite its jazz-rock provenance and spontaneity, is embraced by the magic of jazz, illustrative phrase with incredible improvisations and mutual building of musical texture”
Phontas Troussas in the Greek blog magazine Diskorycheion: “They put down their inspirations, their compositions and their instruments, giving their best in a series of pieces of electric, very electric jazz, which will definitely fascinate fans of the genre. A very enjoyable album!”
Tor Hammerø blog: “Jan Gunnar Hoff Group anno 2025 is perhaps the best edition he has ever been head of”
Roy Edvin Solstad, Stereo+: “Excellent in every way”
Avisa Nordland (Bodø, Norway): “Strength and quality all over. The best thing is that it’s so melodious and seductive. Because “Voyage” is definitely a strong listening experience”