The Norwegian Ketil Bjornstad (1952) was a musical child prodigy who gave classical piano concerts at the age of sixteen. When he heard Miles Davis' In A Silent Way, however, he decided to only play jazz. Currently, Bjornstad is both a well-known jazz pianist and an internationally acclaimed writer. According to his Dutch publisher Signature, he is a master of his craft as a writer. His language is
… razor-sharp and he draws his characters very precisely. He knows how to tell a story in an extremely sublime and poignant way. The same goes for Bjornstad as a pianist. His albums sound like movie soundtracks. We also hear exciting and / or sensitive stories on Devotions. The only downside is the alto sax of wind player Wolfgang Puschnig. While his flute and bass clarinet fit nicely into the vast Norwegian soundscape, the alto is a rough intruder into the serene music. The album was recorded in the Rainbowstudio in Oslo by Jan Erik Kongshaug. This makes it typical for an ECM CD, which is now released on a different label. (HB)more
