A tonic for the troops
A Tonic for the Troops is a band with great news value. It came as a big surprise when the debut album "Ambush" appeared a short time ago.
We know Ellen Brekken as a roaring bass engine in the Hedvig Mollestad Trio, as a steady anchor in the Tord Gustavsen trio and from several fine Folk music projects. Even Dance With A Stranger has benefited from her electric bass playing. Now she has taken a new step in putting together her own acoustic jazz band that nods eagerly and affectionately towards tradition, but which at the same time has the gift of boldness.
A Tonic for the Troops is a quartet: Magnus Bakken on saxophones, Espen Berg on piano, Magnus Sefaniassen Eide on drums and Brekken on acoustic bass. The break is behind all the composition, and it sounds nice and sits like a shot. And Espen Berg is now seriously sailing up as one of his generation's most exciting pianists.
A Tonic for the Troops is an expression that originates from the old British Empire, where it was said that they took a refreshing gin & tonic against malaria in tropical areas. The first reviews of the album suggest that this band is really a refreshing tonic for the listeners and quite certainly good for public health in general.