We Take Requests Trio:
Have you heard? Oscar Peterson Trio has returned!
We Take Requests Trio are putting swing jazz back in fashion. The trio look to master the jazz tradition that came before them, and blend it with infectious enthusiasm and joyfulness when they play together.
PRESENTING: We Take Requests trio
The band name itself pays homage to Oscar Peterson Trio´s record We Get Requests from 1964, and it was through common love and affection for this record the trio first started playing. Since then the band has played numerous concerts and events at esteemed hotels, concert halls and festivals in Norway. The band has even played with big international names such as Ulf Wakenius, Benny Benack III and Davide Cerreta, and are establishing themselves as one of Europe’s finest young jazz-trios!
Their music creates a sophisticated and joyous atmosphere, and is perfectly suited for both a concert hall or a small café.
Getting to know us:
How did you learn to play? Where did you study?
We all took our formal degree in jazz at the conservatory in Trondheim, Norway. It is a small town, but it has a buzzing music scene with plenty of young and aspiring musicians.
Who are the musicians that influenced you the most?
Given our name, it’s pretty clear that we are influenced by the late Oscar Peterson Trio. His album “We Get Requests” from 1964 was what first brought us together. We spent hours learning and transcribed the repertoire on that record, trying to both copy and perfect their sound. After having worked on that record for quite some time, we started expanding on it. We learned tunes from other Oscar Peterson records, and even started playing some rare originals he wrote such as “Cakewalk”, “You Look Good To Me” and the wonderful “Wheatland”.
However, we didn’t want to be just a copy act of the Oscar Peterson Trio, and started therefore to work on the music and sound of other famous piano trios. The list has become long by now, but I would particularly include Red Garland Trio, Erroll Garner Trio, Kenny Barron Trio, Christian McBride Trio as well the young Emmet Cohen Trio as huge inspirations.
Right now we are all really into Monty Alexander´s Live at the Montreux Festival from 1976. That swing is hot!
What are your thoughts and opinions on today’s jazz scene?
While we think that it’s great that today´s jazz scene is a vibrant and broad scene where loads of music genres are welcomed into the jazz category, we feel that there is a certain lack of bands playing the swing jazz we know and love. It’s certainly very few bands diving as deep and thoroughly into the material like we do, as opposed to only playing that music on jam sessions. We Take Requests Trio is all about bringing swing jazz back into fashion, and truly believes that today´s jazz scene yearns for it!
We Take Requests Trio have been fortunate to perform in front of many audiences that usually don’t attend jazz concerts. This has been through event gigs at restaurants, dinner parties or conferences. A common feedback has been “I didn´t know I liked jazz, but I loved this!”, or “your energy and joy is so contagious!”. We therefore suspect a broader audience agrees to this sentiment, even though the swing genre isn’t exposed to them as much.
Both me, Eskild Okkenhaug, and our drummer, Steinar Heide Bø, have our own respective bands we write original music to. While both of us certainly find that extremely rewarding, it has become abundantly clear for us the importance of putting the new “jazz” we write in a proper historical context. The strength of learning jazz history with a hands-on approach is immeasurable, and only helps us grow as both musicians and listeners.
We Take Requests Trio takes ANY requests at this mail: wetakerequeststrio@gmail.com
We Take Requests Trio Youtube Channel
ESKILD OKKENHAUG 