Chris Monsen
@chrismonsen.bsky.social
Music scribe (mostly jazz & related idioms) for Klassekampen's weekly music supplement Musikkmagasinet, Jazznytt, https://chrismonsen.substack.com/, and others. I recommend wine at Vinmonopolet between deadlines. Arsenal fan. Posts in Norwegian and English
Mesmerizing set by Ghosted at Nasjonal Jazzscene tonight.
November 27, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Mesmerizing set by Ghosted at Nasjonal Jazzscene tonight.
Cecil Taylor Jazz Unit's Nefertiti, the Beautiful One Has Come was recorded live at the Café Montmartre in Copenhagen on this day of November in 1962. (Not unhappy with the '97 CD reissue I have, to be clear, but would love to own a version with the smashing Marte Röling drawn cover).
November 23, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Cecil Taylor Jazz Unit's Nefertiti, the Beautiful One Has Come was recorded live at the Café Montmartre in Copenhagen on this day of November in 1962. (Not unhappy with the '97 CD reissue I have, to be clear, but would love to own a version with the smashing Marte Röling drawn cover).
Friday night unwinding soundtrack #NowPlaying
November 21, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Friday night unwinding soundtrack #NowPlaying
Dave Holland og John Schofield, to jazzlegender som også har hatt sporadiske samarbeid, har intime duosamtaler på «Memories Of Home» (ECM). De er innom både gammelt og litt nytt, og stort sett enige om hvordan den samtalen best bør foregå. Har skrevet omtale for dagens Musikkmagasinet.
November 21, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Dave Holland og John Schofield, to jazzlegender som også har hatt sporadiske samarbeid, har intime duosamtaler på «Memories Of Home» (ECM). De er innom både gammelt og litt nytt, og stort sett enige om hvordan den samtalen best bør foregå. Har skrevet omtale for dagens Musikkmagasinet.
Have felt drained of energy all day. Totally exhausted for reasons I can't explain. Needed a solid jump start, and this classic did the trick. The Vandermark Five at the peak of their powers. Such an invigorating and exciting album. #NowPlaying
November 18, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Have felt drained of energy all day. Totally exhausted for reasons I can't explain. Needed a solid jump start, and this classic did the trick. The Vandermark Five at the peak of their powers. Such an invigorating and exciting album. #NowPlaying
Recorded on this day in 1965, but not released until 1981, Infinity by Lee Morgan with Jackie McLean, Larry Willis, Reggie Workman and Billy Higgins.
November 16, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Recorded on this day in 1965, but not released until 1981, Infinity by Lee Morgan with Jackie McLean, Larry Willis, Reggie Workman and Billy Higgins.
As prep work for a review, I'm revisiting Oh! by Scolohofo, and getting a lot more out of it this time around than I did when I first heard it 20 + years ago. A lot suppler and brisker than how I remembered it. Still not sure about that group name, though. #NowPlaying
November 16, 2025 at 3:29 PM
As prep work for a review, I'm revisiting Oh! by Scolohofo, and getting a lot more out of it this time around than I did when I first heard it 20 + years ago. A lot suppler and brisker than how I remembered it. Still not sure about that group name, though. #NowPlaying
Todd Snider titlet his memoir "I Never Met a Story I Didn't Like". Well, I'm not sure I ever heard a Snider album I didn't at least enjoy. But I hold the three below in particular high regard. Among the albums (that are not in the jazz realm) I've played the most over the past 20 plus years.
November 15, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Todd Snider titlet his memoir "I Never Met a Story I Didn't Like". Well, I'm not sure I ever heard a Snider album I didn't at least enjoy. But I hold the three below in particular high regard. Among the albums (that are not in the jazz realm) I've played the most over the past 20 plus years.
Another Green World was released 50 years ago today.
November 14, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Another Green World was released 50 years ago today.
For dagens Musikkmagasinet har jeg skrevet om et nylig utgitt liveopptak med Horace Silver fra 1965, året da han også gav ut en av sine største albumsuksesser. På «Silver In Seattle» møter vi ham i storform, med størrelser som Joe Henderson og den da unge Woody Shaw på laget. Les i papir- + e-avisa!
November 14, 2025 at 3:00 PM
For dagens Musikkmagasinet har jeg skrevet om et nylig utgitt liveopptak med Horace Silver fra 1965, året da han også gav ut en av sine største albumsuksesser. På «Silver In Seattle» møter vi ham i storform, med størrelser som Joe Henderson og den da unge Woody Shaw på laget. Les i papir- + e-avisa!
Percussionist Kahil El’Zabar turns 72 today. #NowPlaying Return of the Lost Tribe (1998) by Bright Moments (Colson, El’Zabar, Favors, Jarman & McIntyre).
November 11, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Percussionist Kahil El’Zabar turns 72 today. #NowPlaying Return of the Lost Tribe (1998) by Bright Moments (Colson, El’Zabar, Favors, Jarman & McIntyre).
My A-sides picks:
November 9, 2025 at 4:14 PM
My A-sides picks:
Innen 1985 var omme hadde Hüsker Dü rukket å gi ut to albumklassikere, spille 150 konserter i USA og Europa, og signere for Warner. Flammen brant dessverre opp fort, men den brant også kraftig, noe man kan høre på liveopptakene på «1985: The Miracle Year». Les min omtale i dagens Musikkmagasinet.
November 7, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Innen 1985 var omme hadde Hüsker Dü rukket å gi ut to albumklassikere, spille 150 konserter i USA og Europa, og signere for Warner. Flammen brant dessverre opp fort, men den brant også kraftig, noe man kan høre på liveopptakene på «1985: The Miracle Year». Les min omtale i dagens Musikkmagasinet.
Remembering the late tenor ace Charles Brackeen, who was born on this day 85 years ago. #NowPlaying Attainment, his 1988 classic with Olu Dara, Fred Hopkins and Andrew Cyrille (and produced by Dennis Gonzales).
November 5, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Remembering the late tenor ace Charles Brackeen, who was born on this day 85 years ago. #NowPlaying Attainment, his 1988 classic with Olu Dara, Fred Hopkins and Andrew Cyrille (and produced by Dennis Gonzales).
The late bass master Henry Grimes was born OTD 90 years ago. Grimes played with the likes of Lee Konitz, Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner, Albert Ayler, Don Cherry, Cecil Taylor, and Marc Robot, but don't forget his first (and until the 2000s, only) album as leader, the terrific The Call (📸 Francis Wolff)
November 3, 2025 at 6:46 PM
The late bass master Henry Grimes was born OTD 90 years ago. Grimes played with the likes of Lee Konitz, Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner, Albert Ayler, Don Cherry, Cecil Taylor, and Marc Robot, but don't forget his first (and until the 2000s, only) album as leader, the terrific The Call (📸 Francis Wolff)
November 1, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Har skrevet om «Touch», det nye albumet til post-rocklegendene Tortoise for Musikkmagasient i dag. Tidvis noe tilbakeskuende, men dytter også kledelig i litt nye retninger. Best når det er en beat eller motorisk rytme som driver musikken, mer tafatt når de blir stillestående. Les i papir- + e-avisa.
October 31, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Har skrevet om «Touch», det nye albumet til post-rocklegendene Tortoise for Musikkmagasient i dag. Tidvis noe tilbakeskuende, men dytter også kledelig i litt nye retninger. Best når det er en beat eller motorisk rytme som driver musikken, mer tafatt når de blir stillestående. Les i papir- + e-avisa.
Some group, this. Mary Halvorson Amaryllis Sextet at Victoria Nasjonal Jazzscene, Oslo, this evening.
October 30, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Some group, this. Mary Halvorson Amaryllis Sextet at Victoria Nasjonal Jazzscene, Oslo, this evening.
To quote the brilliant man himself: “[…] a great work of art is imperfect, for me. It has to be imperfect, maybe in some subtle way. Perfect is not interesting.”
With that in mind, my pick.
With that in mind, my pick.
October 29, 2025 at 7:04 PM
To quote the brilliant man himself: “[…] a great work of art is imperfect, for me. It has to be imperfect, maybe in some subtle way. Perfect is not interesting.”
With that in mind, my pick.
With that in mind, my pick.
The magnificent Arild Andersen turns 80 today. A double bass master with an instantly recognizable tone and a strong melodic feel, he was at the forefront of the explosion of Norway’s new wave of jazz in the late 60’s and early 70’s, and is still going strong. Happy birthday! (📸 Kai Hansen).
October 27, 2025 at 5:32 PM
The magnificent Arild Andersen turns 80 today. A double bass master with an instantly recognizable tone and a strong melodic feel, he was at the forefront of the explosion of Norway’s new wave of jazz in the late 60’s and early 70’s, and is still going strong. Happy birthday! (📸 Kai Hansen).
I put on In Our Style, Jack DeJohnette's duo album w/David Murray, when the rumors of DeJohnette's death started circling this morning. Perhaps somewhat of a foot note in his storied career, but a wonderful release nonetheless, with the mighty, late Fred Hopkins playing bass on two of the tunes. RIP
October 27, 2025 at 12:28 PM
I put on In Our Style, Jack DeJohnette's duo album w/David Murray, when the rumors of DeJohnette's death started circling this morning. Perhaps somewhat of a foot note in his storied career, but a wonderful release nonetheless, with the mighty, late Fred Hopkins playing bass on two of the tunes. RIP