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
The late, great Johnny Dyani was obrn on this day of Novemeber 80 years ago.
(Thanks to @eriksteinskog.bsky.social for the reminder).
(Thanks to @eriksteinskog.bsky.social for the reminder).
November 30, 2025 at 8:13 PM
The late, great Johnny Dyani was obrn on this day of Novemeber 80 years ago.
(Thanks to @eriksteinskog.bsky.social for the reminder).
(Thanks to @eriksteinskog.bsky.social for the reminder).
Reasons why I would never file year-end lists by the end of November, pt.1.
November 29, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Reasons why I would never file year-end lists by the end of November, pt.1.
Craved a bit of Blues & Roots this evening. #NowPlaying
November 28, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Craved a bit of Blues & Roots this evening. #NowPlaying
Har skrevet om «Live from Studio Rivbea, 1975 & 1976» (NoBusiness Records), nylig utgitte liveopptak fra arkivet med saksofonisten Oliver Lake, fra hans tidlige sonderinger i New Yorks Loft Jazz-miljø på midten av 70-tallet, bl.a. sammen med bassgeniet Fred Hopkins. Les i dagens Musikkmagasinet.
November 28, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Har skrevet om «Live from Studio Rivbea, 1975 & 1976» (NoBusiness Records), nylig utgitte liveopptak fra arkivet med saksofonisten Oliver Lake, fra hans tidlige sonderinger i New Yorks Loft Jazz-miljø på midten av 70-tallet, bl.a. sammen med bassgeniet Fred Hopkins. Les i dagens Musikkmagasinet.
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