The Nu-Jazz Appreciation Thread

Usually starting point of nu jazz is counting from Norwegian musicians Nils Petter Molvaer and Bugge Wesseltoft first solo albums, but true beginning happened at least 15 years before. Norwegian jazz veterans bassist Arild Andersen and drummer Jon Christensen played together (alongside young sax player Jan Garbarek) in George Russell European projects, later - with Jan Garbarek and/or Keith Jarrett in his European quartet.  As it's known this Jarrtett's project gave the birth to post bop and smooth jazz crossover, later named contemporary jazz.  Garbarek turned solo towards folklore-based music (world fusion). Andersen and Christensen in 1982-83 were searching in new direction and founded "Masqualero" with few young generation Norwegian musicians (one of them was trumpeter Nils Petter Molvaer). New band's music combined early contemporary jazz , Nordic folk, some European classics tradition and rock energy (and simplicity). Nu jazz was born.

From 1983 to 1991 Masqualero recorded four albums, they generally weren't noticed and each member just went his own way. In 1995 Molvaer released avant-garde jazz album with American percussionist Robyn Schulkowski and only in 1997 he released his solo debut "Khmer" , cornerstone of nu jazz.