Marius Neset, Leif Ove Andsnes, Who We Are, Simax Classics ****

Cross pollination

There's lots of cross pollination between jazz and classical music. The ''Who We Are''ness of this could be interpreted in different ways. Certainly this collision is part of the approach.

But it's not about someone jazzing up classical repertoire, or the other way around - although again there is lots of that in existence.

You only have to dwell for a moment with a few bars of Jacques Loussier's take on Bach or a Wynton Marsalis symphony to glimpse that rich set of traditions. It's not a fusing...

... instead it's juxtaposition. Specifically what we mean here is that Who We Are involves something issued on a classical label - it's out on Simax Classics and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes is a classical player.

The Oslo born pianist's work includes recordings of major works by Beethoven, Mozart, Schumann, and Grieg. He has collaborated with many renowned orchestras and conductors worldwide, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. 

Greatest since Garbarek

And the cross pollinator in chief - and third clue - jazz musician Marius Neset. Some 15 years younger than Andsnes, Neset is to us Norway's most significant jazz saxophonist and composer since Jan Garbarek.

A protégé of Django Bates 20 years ago in the great English pianist's Rhythmic Music Conservatory days in Copenhagen Neset is formidable live and already has laid down a great body of work.

If he were to do nothing else albums such as 2023's Geyser recorded live at the Albert Hall and one of his greatest Lion would stand for something considerable.

Playing the notes through a jazz composer's lens

But by no means is it job done yet. Who We Are is another great achievement, as much about the writing as the playing - a duo at the heart of it all playing Neset tunes plus often shaping the traceries of the sound and making it that bit more definitive an artefact the cello of Louisa Tuck (the England born principal cello of the Oslo Philharmonic) and flute of Ingrid Neset, Marius' younger sister who also appeared on Neset's 2013 work Birds feed in well.

Baroque to the future

The duo performing a piece from the album on Norwegian TV earlier this year. Wonderful music making - Andsnes in some passages reminds us of Gwilym Simcock quite a lot.

Most of the album consists of two suites: the 4-part ''Who We Are'' suite commissioned by the pianist co-leader for the Rosendal Chamber Music Festival, a summertime affair set in a 17th century manor house in a remote western Norwegian setting; and a second formed of three chaconnes.