Snorre Kirk - Top Dog (2023) [Hi-Res]

10 years ago, back in 2012, drummer, composer, and bandleader, Snorre Kirk released his first album under his own name, Blues Modernism. At the time, jazz listeners would have been forgiven for assuming that a drummer's debut release would simply showcase himself on his instrument – in the 'obvious,' flashy sense. But this was no ordinary debut and no ordinary drummer. Snorre Kirk was, and is, different. His inspiration is unmistakably rooted in the birthplace of jazz – specifically, from a golden age, decades ago. It was cool, swinging music, drawing from the sounds that legends like Duke Ellington created, and it allowed plenty of space for the drummer's carefully-chosen cohorts. Blues Modernism was also named 'Album of the Year' in Jazz Special, the Danish music magazine. 10 years later, after a full decade of Snorre's celebrated recording career, it seems like a good time to reflect. How has he developed as an artist? Snorre Kirk has remained completely true to himself – steadfast in his dedication to classic jazz swing and the classic jazz sound. On Top Dog we get a new element and a slight instrumentation change compared to Snorre's previous work, adding a guitarist to the musical pallette, a la Count Basie, with 10 tunes all written by Kirk. There’s no sense of cheap imitation or copying, but rather inspired commitment and reverence for marrying something old and wonderful with something fresh and intriguing.

Double Bass – Anders Krogh Fjeldsted
Drums – Snorre Kirk
Guitar – Mads Kjølby Olesen
Piano – Magnus Hjorth
Tenor Saxophone – Stephen Riley (tracks: 1-5, 7, 10)
Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Michael Blicher (tracks: 1, 4, 8, 9)