2023 saw the return of multi-talented Norwegian producer Espen Horne to Wah Wah 45s, after a 24 year hiatus. The man behind the label’s very first release, the now seminal Magnetica, never lost his connection with the imprint and has remained very much part of the Wah Wah family, and has made a comeback this year with his first solo material under his own name since that club classic from 1999.
The final single to be taken from the album, The Anatomy Of Serene Eloquence, is the stunning and outspoken vocal jazz waltzer Nada Pode Me Calar (which roughly translates to Nothing Can Shut Me Up!) featuring the sublime talent of Olav Wöllo on vocals and Juno.
Espen himself explains more about the song and the collaboration:
“Olav Wöllo is a true, close friend, excellent musician, vocalist and capoeira professor here in Bergen! He was previously living in Brazil and speaks Portuguese fluently. Olav wrote the lyrics for this tune many years ago and was just waiting for the right track to come along.
We went to his lovely studio out on this remote island, made a massive gyoza meal, had some seriously good wine and stayed the whole night to record his vocal harmonies and outspoken lyrics as well as the Juno keys, late, late into the night.
The baseline was recorded in one take later that week in Bergen Kjøtt, with the energetic bass mastermind, Arne Toivo Fjose, a newly educated musician from the Grieg Jazz Academy.
The track represents a unique take on the contemporary Tropicalia idea.”
Reactions & Radio Play
Radio play from Cerys Matthews (BBC 6 Music), Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2), Gilles Peterson (Worldwide FM), Kev Beadle (Totally Wired Radio), Mark GV Taylor (Totally Wired Radio), Jazzcat (Ness Radio, Italy)
“One for the Secret Waltz Club! I absolutely love this track!” Gilles Peterson (Worldwide FM, UK)
“A wonderful Norwegian producer.” Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2, UK)
“This is lovely!” Deb Grant (BBC 6 Music, UK)
“So good. Full support.” Robert Luis (Tru Thoughts, UK)
“Superb track!!” The Reflex (Discolidays, UK)
“Nice one!” Juergen Jazzanova (Sonar Kollektiv, Germany)
“Wonderful release.” Dazzle Drums (Block Party, Japan)
“A beautiful Norwegian / Brazilian waltz…nice one Espen.” Mad Mats (Local Talk, Sweden)
“Yes .. jazzzy Oui oui! Lovely!” DJ Soulist (Souleance, France)
“Great to see Espen back. Lovely. Will play on Xjazz radio show.” Daniel Best (Best Works / Sonar Kollektiv, Germany)
“Nice jazz waltz stuff.” Mark GV Taylor (Totally Wired Radio, UK)
“Classic style.” Jan Hagenkoetter (Infracom, Germany)
“Love his stuff. Glad to see him back.” Jamal Ahmad (Jazz FM, USA)
“Love this… looking forward to the album.” Jonny Miller (ThreeSixty, UK)
“Quality tune!!!” Markus Milz (Radio Corax, Germany)
“Lovely track – really looking forward to hearing the LP.” Simon Harrison (Basic Soul, UK)
“Another solid, quality single release from Espen and the Wah Wah label!” Steve Johns (Solar Radio, UK)
“Very Very Nice modern Jazz tune!!!” Cesare Cera (Bologna Uno, Italy)
“So nice to hear new music from Espen again, and to just notice, he is ís as strong as ever.” Mans Stromberg (Radio Helsinki, Finland)
“Very good start to this track.” MP Marcus (Choice FM, UK)
“Nice one – energetic Jazzy vibes with a kind of Brazil influence. Helps to get through cold, grey winter days in a good mood.” Rolf Aeschimann (Red Cat Radio, Switzerland)
“Absolute Classy! Addictive and favourite song of the moment! Airplay on my morning show in the next hour, and full air support on my shows.” Tiago Santos (Radio Oxigenio, Portugal)
“Love Love it!!” Veronique Prebolin (Radio Krim, France)
“Great tune!” Martijn Barkhuis (Jazz de Ville, Netherlands)
“Can’t wait to hear the full album. nice track.” Marky Mark Johnson (1BTN, UK)
“Jazzy très entrainant et superbe chant.” Jean Marc Baehler (Couleur 3, Switzerland)
“JAZZ WITH PIZAZZ LOVE IT!” Ash Selector (Solar Radio, UK)
“Great!” Mathieu Schreyer (KCRW, USA)
“Wonderful!” Karsten John (Vinyl Vibes, Germany)
“Proper!!!” Steve KIW (The Balearic Assassins, UK)
“Excellent.” Robert Lochmann (Radio X, Germany)
“Brilliant!!!” Olivier Cavaller (De La Bonne Musique, France)
“Superb release.” Jon Brent (Dusk Dubs, UK)
“Perfect!” Chris Ex (Black Radio Berlin, Germany)
“Wow wow wow!” DJ Mr Lob (Various, Australia)
“Oh wow! Beautiful!” DJ Kobayashi (Batov Records / Soho Radio, UK)
“Always great music from Espen Horne.” Amar Kabouche (Fauve Radio, Hong Kong)
“This is beautiful music! Can’t wait to hear more from Espen Horne…” Sven Thomschke (Radio Z, Germany)
“Love this!” Junior (Record Breakin’, USA)
“Supernice!” Tom Strauch (Switchstance Recordings, Germany)
“Fire!” Roshan Ram (Guestlist,net, UK)
“Nice one.” Tjerk Coers (Armada Music, Netherlands)
“Lovely, tasteful, more like this please.” Asian Hawk (Various, UK)
“Beauty!” Rogall (Electric Sideshow, Germany)
“This is wonderful. Going down lovely with a cuppa and jaffa cake. Looking forward to playing out.” Bean Noodler (Soul Buggin’, UK)
“On air – a must!!!! Blast!!” Olgierd (Sofa Surfing, Poland)
“Fine track!” Ivan Mera (Higher Club, Spain)
“I love this, what groove.” Bob Hill (Illicit Grooves, UK)
“Gorgeous…” Dob Marzov (Radio Varna, Bulgaria)
“Packed full of all the essentials. What a beauty! Adding to www.TheAlternative9.com as one of the 9 Key Picks.” Nick Emancipation (The Alternative 9, UK)
“Love it!” Enrique Domenech (Freeform, Spain)
“Lovely waltz feel.” Chris Greenwood (Mi-Soul Radio, UK)
“Looks like an interesting track, we will be adding the track to our playlist!” Dr Phil D (The Bocx.com, USA)
“Music is lovely.. I’m really diggin this.” Gareth Howard (Brap FM, UK)
“Top!” Rado Tomek (NuSpirit Club, Slovakia)
“Nordic Take Five folk-ism; sound perfect for the festive season.” Gerry Hectic (YATM, UK)
“Most insinuating.” Jamie Renton (Chilli Fried, UK)
“Beleza meu!” Cal Gibson (Various, UK)
“Sweet groove.” DJ Snuff (Universal Magnetic B-Boy, UK)
“That kind of drumming and the whole tact is something really rare in (electronic) music. The very most producers simply stick to 4/4 all the time. A pity. I can remember that I heard some Journeyman tracks using similar ideas many years ago. Thanks for the reminder! This one takes things even further with its Brazilian note. That is real musicianship as far as I am concerned.” Rene Josquin (Format Analog, Germany)
“Nu classic jazz beats.” Aja Allsop (Ketch-A-Vibe, UK)
“Really lovely – cool, jazzy with thaty Take 5 vibe but funky enough to get the dancefloor grooving. I can see this going down well with the club crowd. 5*” Drummie Dave (Various, UK)
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