Nordic Quartet is an album by English saxophonist John Surman featuring Karin Krog, Terje Rypdal and Vigleik Storaas. Recorded in 1994, it was released by ECM Records.[1]

Nordic Quartet
Studio album by John Surman Quartet
Released	1995
Recorded	August 1994 Rainbow Studio, Oslo
Genre	Jazz
Length	50:25
Label	ECM ECM 1553
Producer	Manfred Eicher
John Surman chronology
Stranger than Fiction (1993) Nordic Quartet (1995) A Biography of the Rev. Absalom Dawe (1995)

Reception

The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow stated, "The group never really meshes their disparate voices together and few of the spacey (and sometimes meandering) group originals other than 'Wild Bird' are at all memorable. All of the principals have sounded better elsewhere."[2] The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings, however, awards four stars, writing that "there is a compelling logic to the music that overcomes its cool detachment."[3]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	[3]

Track listing

All compositions by John Surman except as indicated

1. "Traces" (Karen Krog, Vigliek Storaas) - 7:14
2. "Unwritten Letter" (Krog, John Surman) - 3:49
3. "Offshore Piper" (Terje Rypdal, Surman) - 2:09
4. "Gone to the Dogs" - 3:58
5. "Double Tripper" (Rypdal, Surman) - 6:18
6. "Ved Sørevatn" (Rypdal) - 8:06
7. "Watching Shadows" (Krog, Surman) - 5:20
8. "The Illusion" (Storaas) - 5:57
9. "Wild Bird" (Krog, Rypdal, Surman) - 7:30

• Recorded at Rainbow Studio in Oslo, Norway in August 1994

Personnel

• John Surman – soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone, alto clarinet, bass clarinet
• Vigleik Storaas – piano
• Terje Rypdal – guitar
• Karin Krog – voice

References