Known affectionately as “the tone poet of the Fender Stratocaster”, Norwegian guitarist Terje Rypdal has had a prolific 50-year career that has blended jazz, rock, and classical music into his own unique take on what music can be. His 1987 album Blue is a fusionist’s dream, filled with eclectic sounds that bend and warp over 35 minutes to create a feeling of both unease and groove. Listening to Rypdal immediately reminded me of the avante-garde stylings of Brian Eno, specifically his 1975 album Another Green World, for no other reason than it feels like Rypdal’s playing is simply a collection of emotions in audio form. There’s a sense of sheer audacity in risk-taking that happens throughout Blue which is addictive in short spurts. And with a 35-minute runtime it’s easy to get lost in the sauce alongside Terje and his phenomenally gifted backing band The Chasers.
Standout Songs: “I Disremember Quite Well”, “Last Nite”, “The Curse”
