History
Scorch Trio
Formation and Early Years
The Scorch Trio emerged from a pivotal meeting between guitarist Raoul Björkenheim and bassist Ingebrigt Håker Flaten at the Jyvaskyla Summer Jazz Festival in 1998. Recognizing a shared musical vision and an immediate chemistry, they felt a collaboration would yield highly inspired and energetic music. Flaten, already familiar with the powerful drumming of Paal Nilssen-Love from their work in the group Element, identified him as the ideal drummer for the project. This led to a series of concerts in Finland and a recording for Finnish radio in early 2000. Further performances in Copenhagen, Gothenburg, and Oslo solidified their connection, paving the way for their debut album.
Recordings and Critical Acclaim
The trio's first album was released in 2002 on the Rune Grammofon label. It garnered significant critical praise, including being recognized as one of the 10 best jazz CDs of the year by The Wire magazine. Their second release followed in the winter of 2004, also on Rune Grammofon, further establishing their distinctive sound.
About the Members
Raoul Björkenheim (Guitar)
Raoul Björkenheim is an internationally recognized guitarist, known for his work with his own band Krakatau, which released two albums on ECM. His playing is characterized by a shamanistic intensity, drawing influences from artists such as Jimi Hendrix, James Blood Ulmer, and Albert Ayler. Björkenheim has a history of collaborations with notable musicians including Edward Vesala, Toshinori Kondo, Bill Laswell, Ronald Shannon Jackson, and Paul Schütze.
Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (Bass)
Ingebrigt Håker Flaten is a highly sought-after bassist in the Norwegian jazz scene. Beyond his work with Scorch Trio, he is a core member of The Thing (alongside Mats Gustafsson), Atomic, Close Erase (with Christian Wallumrød), School Days, and the Petter Wettre Trio. His extensive touring experience includes collaborations with Trygve Seim, Joe McPhee, Chris Potter, Iain Ballamy, Dave Liebman, Tony Oxley, Frode Gjerstad, and SPUNK.
Paal Nilssen-Love (Drums)
Paal Nilssen-Love is a prominent figure in Norwegian jazz drumming, consistently prioritizing energy and creative freedom in his diverse musical explorations. In addition to Scorch Trio, he is a regular member of The Thing, School Days, Frode Gjerstad Trio, Atomic, and the Håkon Kornstad Trio. His performance and recording credits span a wide range of artists, from Pat Metheny and Django Bates to Svein Finnerud and Nils Petter Molvær.
