Ellen Andrea Wang - Closeness (2020)

Born and raised in Norway, Bassist and singer Ellen Andrea Wang has been a powerful force in Jazz and beyond, distinguishing herself as a truly inventive artist that blends styles in unprecedented ways. From collaboration with Sting, Manu Katché, and Marilyn Mazur, to performances at major Jazz Festivals, to her appearance with the vocal Jazz Group GURLS, to her own projects Pixel and the Ellen Andrea Wang Trio, Wang has consistently sought to tastefully blend Jazz and Pop in new ways. Her compositions and performance balance the the lyrical with the rough, the acoustic with the electric, resulting in a unique modern sound.

Ellen Andrea Wang's third studio album, Closeness, features Wang on double bass and vocals, with Rob Luft on guitar and Jon Fält on Drums. In what now seems prescient, the album is a an adventurous mix of traditional spirituals, soothing in their delivery, longing and personal compositions, and two carefully selected covers from Ornette Coleman (Lonely Woman) and Pat Metheny (This Is Not America). The connection between the musicians is quite evident as they approach each song with patience and absolute care for the art.

A commanding presence in any ensemble she plays in, her soft tone and vocal precision are always counterbalanced with heavy and assertive grooves from her double-bass, interlocking with drummers, jazz, pop and groove alike.
⁃ The Guardian

Ellen Andrea Wang will be Artist in Residence at Molde International Jazz Festival 2021