Stina Stenerud & Her Soul Replacement - Coming Home (2012)

Stian Haslie (guitar, backing vocals); Borgar Skoveng (bass, backing vocals); Kristian Wentzel (keys, backing vocals); Tor Mikael Larsen (drums, backing vocals). In addition to her regular band Stina has had the honour of playing with musicians who’s been working with artists like Jarle Bernhoft, Amund Maarud, Knut Reiersrud, Vidar Busk, Bjørn Eidsvåg, Odd Nordstoga and others on this album.

A lot has happened in Stina Stenerud’s career since she started 12 years ago back home in Fetsund, Norway. After she released her debut album “Kissing fools” in 2009, Stina and her band have not only performed in most blues clubs in Norway, but also at By:Larm and also Notodden Blues Festival, by far the biggest blues festival in Norway.

Her love for American old school soul, blues and jazz comes clearly across in her performance, and she blends this music with a more modern sound and production to create a perfect mix of both worlds. Stina has a powerful voice that demands to be heard, but still she has a pleasant way about her performance. She leaves no doubt about the sincerity of the songs she sings, but she still has the necessary distance that creates room for the listener to bring Stina’s soul into his og her own sphere. This is a mature voice, still hungry for more.

Soul Replacement has been her regular band since the first album. The band is tight yet playful, and these are skilled musicians who have played together for quite some time. They weave their instruments with perfect precision in and out of Stina’s vocal phrases, and they all know each other so well by now that they have the freedom to play and experiment within the framework of each song.