The classic piano trio, when made up of three vibrant young musicians from the innovative Scandinavian jazz scene, fully equipped with as much creativity and skills as Joakim Rainer Petersen (piano), Alexander Riris (double bass) and Rino Sivathas (drums), is not only still relevant, but a demonstrably inexhaustible wellspring of innovation and surprise. While the roots of their music run far into the history of jazz, their spontaneous and future-oriented approach is a graceful interplay of academic intellect and pure (and voluminous) musical instinct. They construct captivating narratives and dramas of sound, sculpting their soundstage with complex musical shapes and asymmetrical loops. Their compositions and improvisations echo predecessors such as Andrew Hill and Paul Bley, yet retain and enunciate a distinct musical personality. Bristling with an electric vitality, ludic invention and fearless confidence, their curiosity leads them through both familiar and utterly alien territory, all described using their own euphonic vernacular. Rhythmically diverse, harmonically unfettered, curiously micromelodic, their uniquely charming approach proves to be both challenging and winning.
Alexander Riris lives in Berlin. He has his own band Barrage and his trio with Tor Haugerud on drums and Ab Baars on saxophone and clarinet. Riris also plays in ØyvindLand and Sara Fjeldvær band.
Rino Sivathas currently lives in Oslo, after studying jazz performance in Trondheim, Copenhagen & Berlin. He runs his own project «Rino Sivathas Experiment», and plays in projects as Bliss Quintet, Sanyu & Eskild Okkenhaug Sekstett.
Joakim Rainer Petersen currently lives in Berlin after studying jazz and composition in Trondheim (NO), and be heard frequently in Berlin with players like Axel Dörner, Tobias Delius and Nick Dunston. Alongside this trio, he plays with Ingebrigt Håker Flaten’s (exit) KNARR, ØyvindLAND, Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, Goose Green, Borges/Rainer/Dunston, and ASQ.
Joakim Rainer Petersen – piano
Alexander Riris – double bass
Rino Sivathas – drums