Espen Eriksen Trio - Almost There

Almost There is the latest album from pianist and composer Espen Eriksen and his long-running trio, continuing a catalogue built around melody, space and close interaction between the musicians. After seven albums across sixteen years, including two collaborations with British saxophonist Andy Sheppard, Eriksen returns here to the trio format with another set of lyrical instrumentals. The music is designed around memorable themes rather than display for its own sake, moving between melancholy and uplift while retaining the restrained approach that has become central to the group’s identity.

The album was recorded and mixed at Propeller Music Division in Oslo, the studio Eriksen has used for his previous five studio albums. That continuity suits a group whose sound depends on nuance: piano lines, rhythmic detail and the natural dynamics of the trio are given room rather than crowded by production. The supplied release notes describe the material as real tunes, some immediately catchy and others revealing themselves over repeated listens, with a Nordic character and a deliberate less-is-more philosophy.

Espen Eriksen Trio formed in 2007 and released its debut album in 2010. Since then the group has developed into an international live act, touring on four continents and building a substantial repertoire. The musicians also bring broad experience from jazz, pop and related scenes, with connections across projects involving artists including Bugge Wesseltoft, John Scofield, Joshua Redman, Dhafer Youssef, Eivind Aarset, Mathias Eick and Nils Petter Molvær.

Almost There contains eight compositions, opening with the title track and moving through pieces including “Sepia Sky”, “Winter Is Coming”, “Ancient Rituals” and “The Atlantic”. Released by Rune Grammofon on 25 September 2026, this LP edition presents the trio’s melodic contemporary jazz in its full eight-track sequence.