Studio Jazz: Espen Eriksen Trio with Andy Sheppard

We’re delighted to welcome back to Lighthouse one of the biggest UK jazz stars of the past 40 years, Andy Sheppard, alongside the wonderful, melodic jazz of Norway’s finest, The Espen Eriksen Trio.

ECM recording artist Andy Sheppard is one of very few British jazz artists to have made a significant international impact, working with an astonishing range of musical partners including three of the greatest post-war jazz composers, Carla Bley, George Russell and Gil Evans. An ECM recording artist, bandleader and composer, Andy is one of Europe’s leading saxophonists, playing and writing for settings from solo to big band and chamber orchestra. Andy has composed over 350 works that incorporate a strong and characteristic sense of lyricism alongside a very personal use of rhythms from Asia, Africa and South America.

Sheppard took up the saxophone at 19, highly motivated after encountering the music of John Coltrane, and three weeks after getting his first instrument was playing in public with the Bristol-based quartet Sphere. After a period in Paris where he worked with groups including performance art band Urban Sax, he returned to the UK in the mid-80’s recording the album “Andy Sheppard” for Antilles/Island, with Steve Swallow as producer, the beginning of a long musical association that continues to this day. Since then, Sheppard has recorded for labels including Blue Note, Verve, Label Bleu and Provocateur.

Sheppard has been invited to compose for large and small ensembles in the areas of jazz and contemporary classical music. He continues to lead an array of projects as well as collaborations such as tonight’s gig. He’s been awarded numerous jazz awards, plus an honorary doctorate from Bristol University

Eriksen Trio was formed in 2007 and released their debut album in 2010. After 18 years, seven albums and regular touring on four continents, the trio is tighter than ever and have reached an almost telepathic level of interplay. Espen Eriksen trio is becoming an increasingly popular live act, with a wealth of rich material on their repertoire all signed pianist Eriksen.

The music relies on highly melodic and lyrical instrumentals and a “less is more” approach and is often credited for its unique voice within today’s jazz scene by the international press. To quote the BBC review of the trio’s second album; “A wonderfully plaintive jazz record, abandoned to the lost art of melodic minimalism, stripped back and beautifully near bare. No smoke and mirrors, just the graceful chemistry of superb musicians at the top of their game”

Espen’s Trio and Andy Sheppard first teamed up for two concerts in London in 2016. It was clear from the first note that this was a perfect match. To quote the jazz website All About Jazz, “the symbiosis between the saxophonist and the trio is truly remarkable”. In 2018, they released their first album together, “Perfectly Unhappy”, which was followed up with a live album and another studio album called “As It Gets”. This was voted the 6th best jazz album of 2023 by Jazzwise. Together, they create top of the line melodic jazz that has motivated critics to look for their finest superlatives and draw comparisons with the legendary “Belonging” quartet led by Keith Jarrett and Jan Garbarek.

Andy Sheppard – tenor saxophone
Espen Eriksen – piano and compositions
Lars Tormod Jenset – double bass
Andreas Bye – drums