The joy of a repeat listen to Come Shine is usually just as great each time. Few, if any, are capable of dissecting and reconstructing standards in a more creative and enjoyable way than this quartet. This is partly thanks to the band’s pianist, Erlend Skomsvoll, one of Norway’s most skilful and experienced arrangers, as well as the powerful and playful chemistry between the four musicians.
Maria Roggen fronts the quartet live and is the focal and vocal centrepoint, always in full control across the register, with her mystical and humoristic slant. Bassist Sondre Meisfjord and drummer Håkon Mjåset Johansen complement the quartet with their open and robust style. Each of them are accomplished soloists and together; all four work as one.
The band debuted in 1999, releasing a flush of critically acclaimed albums in the early 2000s. They took a break to work on other projects for a few years until 2010 when they contributed to the 100th anniversary of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim – home to the famous jazz studies course.
The CD “Red and Gold” came out in 2014. Their most recent album, where they perform with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra, is released in collaboration with the Oslo Jazz Festival in August, where they will also be performing live. Come Shine have in recent years also worked together in big band format with the Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, including at the Nattjazz festival in Bergen. Expect the unexpected when the quartet arrives in Stavanger, come rain or come sh