Duos: Svein Olav Herstad & Tor Yttredal // Eva Bjerga Haugen & Thomas Torstrup

Svein Olav Herstad & Tor Yttredal Duo “Free Conversations”

Svein Olav Herstad and Tor Yttredal have worked together as musicians since the beginning of the year 2000 in a variety of forms. Over the course of the pandemic in recent years, they have met to play together on a purely improvisational level.

This particular duo project is intended to create freely improvisational music, without any form of agreed ideas or musical material. In this way, they hope to spark musical conversations and simply follow the path which the music leads them along. Challenging and approaching each other simultaneously. It is set to be an exciting exchange between the musicians, as well as between the musicians and their audience.

Tor Yttredal is a Professor of Jazz and Saxophone at the University of Stavanger´s Faculty for Performing Arts. As well as being a key figure on the Stavanger jazz teaching stage, he has also been involved as an artist in a number of exciting projects on the Norwegian and European jazz circuit.

Svein Olav Herstad also studied Jazz Music at the University of Trondheim (NTNU) from 1990 to 1993. During his time at university, he formed the Svein Olav Herstad trio, which has released several albums featuring Herstad´s own compositions.

Svein Olav Herstad – on piano, Tor Yttredal – on saxophone.

Eva Bjerga Haugen & Thomas Torstrup Duo

Two very familiar artists on the Stavanger jazz scene have joined forces to form a fascinating duo concept. “Is it perhaps time to set a new standard for standard tunes?”, was the question they asked themselves.

In the same way that jazz musicians previously used to thrash out the pop music of the time, Eva and Thomas plan to thrash out today´s pop music at this concert. You know all the songs that you hear on the radio? The ones that you can´t get out of your head? The songs that “everyone” sings along to? The new “standard songs.”

At this concert, only Eva and Thomas will be on stage. Only vocals and piano. It could hardly be any simpler. Two musicians coming together over catchy tunes and clever lyrics. Two musicians deconstructing and reconstructing, reharmonizing and improvising. Two musicians building on tradition and seeking innovation, interpreting, protecting, and daring to think differently!

Eva Bjerga Haugen – on vocals, Thomas Torstrup – on piano

Time and place:
Saturday, 13th. May, 15.30 hrs., at Stavangeren.