project | Amund Kleppan

Amund Kleppan Quintet

Amund Kleppan - drums

Julius Gawlik - saxophone

Tal Arditi - guitar

Rasmus Sørensen - piano

Julian Haugland - double bass

feat. Dima Bondarev - trumpet

Ready for a new challenge, Kleppan dives in the deep end and ventures into unexplored territory. For the first time Kleppan assumes the role of bandleader and composes a record for this ensemble. Kleppan has assembled an eclectic mix of talented musicians that he has befriended during his travels across Europe, forming the Amund Kleppan Quintet.

DEBUT ALBUM - Venture

«Venture» is the debut album of up and coming Norwegian jazz drummer Amund Kleppan. In his first foray into composition, Kleppan embarks on a daring voyage that proves without risk there is no reward. Age is no disadvantage to Kleppan, who offers up a fresh, new sound to his audience.

Kleppan draws diverse inspiration from both modern American jazz and the raw avant-jazz of Berlin, which is then wrapped in the open and warm nordic sound that he grew up with. This unique and complex sound is immediately apparent in the opening track Panther, which combines abrasive intervals with metric modulations to create a tension that finally resolves with grounding release.

"A European union of talents is alive and very well on this album by a multi-national band, led by the young Berlin-based Norwegian drummer Kleppan. As well as being a talented drummer he writes fine compositions. Indeed, the whole album is very well programmed, with succeeding pieces contrasting with yet complementing each other. The recording is sharp and the balance reinforces the sense of a sextet of equals rather than front and back lines. Every member of the band makes valuable contributions, and Venture is a thoroughly commendable example of contemporary mainstream jazz."

- Jazz Journal UK

"A strong debut from a young drummer."

- Gudbrandsdølen Dagningen

"The music is high-degree-of-difficulty hard bop in the vein of the mid ’60s Miles Davis quintet."

- Stereo Gum

MEDIA