Dualistic – Dualistic (Losen Records, 2029)
Dualistic presents an innovative form of jazz fusion. Pianist Bernt Moen and his colleagues brilliantly combine extended jazz harmonies and improvisation with the high energy of heavy metal. However, the sound is primarily acoustic. Therefore, you will not find skull crushing electric guitar riffs. Instead, you will hear muscular piano performances supported by heavy hitting drums and bass.
Moen started his career as a keyboard player in a Norwegian heavy metal band at the age of 13. He later became interested in jazz while studying at Musicians Institute in Los Angeles. Later, he continued to develop his jazz skill at Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Bernt Moen is presently working as an associate professor in piano performance. Dualistic includes Moen on piano and keyboards; bass player and musical colleague, PhD associate professor Fredrik Sahlander; drummer Tobias Øymo Solbakk.