Signe Emmeluth - saxophones

Andreas Wildhagen - drums

Ingebrigt Håker Flaten - double bass

Jonas Cambien - piano

Album coming soon!!

Belgian-born,Oslo-based pianist Jonas Cambien has impressed earlier as a bandleader and composer, notably with Jonas Cambien Trio. He is now presenting 'Maca Conu', a brand-new all stellar band with personal favorites from Norway’s thriving Jazz scene. His long time partner-in-crime, drummer Andreas Wildhagen, has become an important part of Cambien’s musical universe and couldn’t be left out when putting together this new ensemble. Wildhagens energetic drumming combined with Norway’s Texan double bass champion Ingebrigt HåkerFlaten, is a dream team rhythm section written in stars, that for some unknown reason never materialized before. With rising star ofScandinavian jazz Signe Emmeluth on saxophone and Cambien himself on piano, this is a band many will be looking forward to hear.

Cambien has a unique approach to composition and improvisation. With a background in classical and contemporary music, but as much a child of Oslo’s freejazz and improvised music scene, Cambien’s piano style passes seamlessly from Ligeti to Cecil Taylor, creating his own language on the way. His trademark compositions are typically hummable and avant-garde at once, and will surely sound as challenging as inviting when played by this incredible combination of experienced improvisers.

Although this is a brand-new band, the people in it are definitely no strangers to jazz aficionados with a preference for the freer side ofthe genre. Listing all credits and discographies of these four musicians combined would be a lengthy affair, but as any text introducing a jazz ensemble includes a name-dropping section, here is a brief list of former and ongoing collaborations that include one or more of this new quartet’s members: Paal Nilssen-Love Large Unit, Mudskipper, Signe Emmeluth’s Amoeba, Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, Young Mothers, Supersonic Orchestra, Nakama, Atomic and many many more

And yes, it’s a new band, but its members are no strangers to each other neither. Wildhagen and Cambien have played together in Jonas Cambien Trio for years, making numerous records together. Cambien and Emmeluth have joined forces on several occasions, the former guesting the latters band Amoeba. Belgian audiences will also remember a memorable trio concert at Summer Bummer Festival in 2021 with Jonas Cambien, Signe Emmeluth and Belgian baritone saxophonist Hanne De Backer. Emmeluth and Flaten have played together in Gard Nilssens Supersonic Orchestra, and Wildhagen and Emmeluth are both part of the Andreas Røysum Ensemble. So when this quartet meets for the first time, it’s most likely going to sound like a band that has been playing together for years, creating music unlike anything you’ve heard before.

The name Maca Conu was orginally the title of a composition by Cambien comissioned by the Norwegian Festival Motvind and performed in 2021 by a septet put together for the occasion. Cambien later started a quartet under the same name to record a reworked version of this composition, and some aditional material. An album is scheduled to release on the Portugese label Clean Feed in January 2024.