Give a big welcome to: 

SIGVART DAGSLAND'S WEDDING AND BURIAL BAND

There are bands that tour the borderlands between life and death, between joy and grief. They are called when needed: when life reaches its peak, when everything falls apart. They don't hold back. They follow grief as far as it reaches and joy beyond reason.

While these kinds of band are rare, we have one of them here. Sigvart Dagsland with his new band and his new CD of the same name is ready to feel with you when you need it most. 

Here all the band members are singers in the choir, and they play a wide range of instruments. Many of the musicians play several instruments: Electric guitar, lap steel, acoustic guitar and mandolin: Kjetil Steensnes. Marxophone, mouth organ, mandolin, lap steel, national, acoustic guitar and electric guitar: Geir Sundstøl. Acoustic guitar: Ingelin Reigsted Norheim. Piano, B3 Hammond organ, clavinet, electric piano: Torjus Vierli. Vibraphone and trumpet: Mathias Eick. Violin and mandolin: Julian Berntsen. Glockenspiel, bongo drums, autoharp and tambourine: Hildegunn Garness Reigstad. Drums: Ole Andreas Olafsrud. Bass: Jonny Sjo. 

The point of departure for this album is the fact that Sigvart Dagsland is one of the artists in Norway who receives very many requests to sing at weddings and funerals. In some countries a little further south and east this is the most important source of income an artist can have. In Norway, on the other hand, most artists politely decline unless they are close to the people making the request. This applies to Sigvart as well. Nonetheless, he feels privileged that his songs are held in such high esteem that they are requested for those important moments in life, for both the ups and the downs, and the days when life takes a new direction.

With four new songs and 11 completely new interpretations of well-loved and familiar tunes and lyrics, Sigvart has put together a great band and played at one of the venues frequently used for wedding receptions and memorial gatherings: Soria Moria Bistro at Torshov in Oslo. Here he allowed the band free rein to rejuvenate old classics in a visual and acoustic environment with the perfect ambience. 

Famous Norwegian artist Karoline Krüger also joins in a duet on one of the new tracks, "Tenk om" (What if). We also hear new and different versions of favourites such as "Alt eg såg" (All I saw), "De umulige" (The impossible ones), "Naken hud" (Naked skin), "Elsker du meg" (Do you love me?) and "Sangen om gleden" (The song of joy), in addition to three new ones: "Orkesteret" (The band), "Bloksberg" (Witch mountain) and "Fra vinduet" (From the window).

The CD was recorded by Martin Abrahamsen and produced by Erik Hillestad.

Track list:

1. Orkesteret                                                                               3:24

2. Tenk om (duet med Karoline Krüger)                                   3:13

3. Sangen om gleden                                                                 4:50

4. Bloksberg                                                                                3:36

5. Elske du meg                                                                          5:03

6. Blåsenborg                                                                             4:14

7. De Umulige                                                                             3:21

8. Alt eg såg                                                                               4:55

9. Naken Hud                                                                             4:47

10. Hjemmefra                                                                            4:32

11. Fra vinduet                                                                            4:32

12. Se så lykkelige                                                                     4:26

13. Kjærlighet                                                                             4:30

14. Den ensomme veien                                                            4:07

15. Himmel                                                                                 5:41