Back to Base is a quartet that traces its musical roots to the high energy melting pot of 70s electric jazz-rock, and to modern chamber music with the groove in the forefront. Svante Henryson’s strong melodic compositions gives plenty of room for the personal expressions within the quartet.

 

Svante Henryson started out playing clubs as a 14-year-old jazz bassist, and joined the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra already in his teens. In the late 80’s he went for a dramatic change and toured the world as a hard-rock bass guitarist with Yngwie Malmsteen. As a pastime he picked up the cello, and today he is a world renowned jazz cellist as well as an awarded composer of orchestral and chamber music for ensembles across the world.

 

Tore Brunborg was a founding member of Masqualero, a leading Norwegian jazz band that recorded for ECM. 

In the recent years he has been playing with a.o. Manu Katche Group, Tord Gustavsen Ensemble, Mats Eilertsen Quartet and Rita Marcotulli.

At the same time he has been doing projects as a leader, a.o. Meadow(with Thomas Strønen and John Taylor), Scent of Soil, Tore Brunborg Quartet, Togetherness. 

 

Harmen Fraanje leads and co-leads several projects like his solo project, trio Reijseger Fraanje Sylla, a duo with Norwegian trumpet player Arve Henriksen, a trio with Finnish musicians Aino Peltomaa on voice and Mikko Perkola on viola da gamba and effects, and a quartet with Magic Malik, Brice Soniano and Toma Gouband. These groups mostly perform original works with a lot of space for improvisation.

 

Morgan Ågren is, like Svante Henryson, from Umeå in northern Sweden. Since childhood he has played with another prodigy from Umeå; Mats Öberg on keyboards. Frank Zappa invited them to join his band, but sadly passed away shortly after. Morgan also played with Squarepusher, Magma, Bill Laswell, Steve Vai et al.