Raoul Björkenheim – guitar . Ingebrigt Håker Flaten – bass. Paal Nilssen-Love – drums. XXX is a 4LP collection including Scorch Trio, Luggumt, Brolt and Oval. The story goes that when “Luggumt”, the second Scorch Trio album, was played loud at New York´s record mecca Downtown Music Gallery one Saturday afternoon, everyone in the store (including guitarist Andy Summers of The Police), jumped and screamed with delight asking “who the fuck is this?” The DMG themselves described Scorch Trio as the most amazing power trio they had heard since the Jimi Hendrix Experience or Cream, and the album was followed by enthusiastic reviews absolutely everywhere, with the Guardian naming them “the ultimate improvising power trio”. Even Playboy got a word in. But it started two years earlier, with the release of their self-titled debut album, a free spirited collection of instrumentals burning with an untamed energy that is neither jazz nor rock. In Norway “Scorch Trio” was greeted with 6/6 reviews in the two biggest newspapers and The Wire said “the scope of their improvisational ideas is breathtaking”, in spirit comparing the album to The Mahavishnu Orchestra´s “The Inner Mounting Flame”. Four years after “Luggumt”, “Brolt” was to become the final album with Paal Nilssen-Love behind the drums. Following in the tradition of the previous albums this is a masterful example of passionate improvisation and breathtaking interplay. New York Times called it “a deep-focus record that conveys discipline as well as daring”, Downbeat mentiones Sonny Sharrock and Jimi Hendrix in their 4/5 review while Jazzwise suggest that this is what Hendrix´s late night jams might have sounded like if he´d been listening to Albert Ayler instead of Miles. The joker in this collection is “Oval”, a radio session done for Yle, the Finnish broadcasting company, two years before the debut album was released. Why this recording has been left on a shelf (surely not ours!) for so long is anyone´s guess, because this is quite a remarkable recording, showing off a new group brimming with energy and new ideas. Paal Nilssen-Love was only 25 at the time, but he and Ingebrigt Håker Flaten already had a reputation as one of the most energetic and creative rhythm sections in Scandinavia. Here the Finnish guitar phenomenon Raoul Björkenheim had found the perfect partners for his new group.

“Oval” is previously unreleased in any form, “Scorch Trio” has only been available on CD until now, while both “Luggumt” and “Brolt” have long been out of print on vinyl. US drummer Frank Rosaly replaced Nilssen-Love for the vinyl only, live double album “Made In Norway”, with sax player Mars Williams guesting. “Melaza”, a new album with Rosaly as a permanent member, was recorded by Robert Mussi in Bill Laswell´s studio and released in 2010. Raoul Björkenheim was born in Los Angeles to Finnish parents and now lives in Helsinki after a long period in New York. He appeared on three records with Edward Vesala, all on ECM, before starting his own group Krakatau, releasing two albums on ECM. Since then he has been involved in a number of international and national projects. Ingebrigt Håker Flaten and Paal Nilssen-Love have played with just about “everyone” and is one of the most distinguished rhythm sections in the business. Joint projects include Atomic and The Thing.