GRAND GENERAL

A Norwegian heavy fusion supergroup of sorts, this quintet initially performed under the moniker Kenneth Kapstad Group, perhaps leading some to consider the ensemble as a spinoff of drummer Kapstad's most famous outfit, the longstanding Trondheim-based psych-prog-metal band Motorpsycho, whom Kapstad joined in 2007. The Kenneth Kapstad Group was assembled to perform at the 2010 Trondheim Jazzfest, and featured several former students of the Trondheim Musikkonservatorium jazz program, including Kapstad himself as well as keyboardist Erland Slettevoll and violinist/violist Ola Kvernberg, the latter of whom won a 2011 Spellemannprisen (Norwegian Grammy) for Jazz Album of the Year for his expansive modern creative octet recording Liarbird and garnered positive notice for his playing on the Motorpsycho/Ståle Storløkken opus The Death Defying Unicorn in 2012. The band lineup also featured bassist Trond Frønes, a member of "caveman metal" band Goat the Head (along with Kapstad) and other rock and metal bands (e.g., read more...