Oddgeir Berg Trio: Cathedral Sound

The Oddgeir Berg Trio invites you to an extraordinary Christmas concert that reinterprets traditional holiday classics with jazzy and experimental arrangements. Following the widely acclaimed album Christmas Came Early, the trio presents Christmas with Friends, featuring livelier tempos and funky adaptations like Santa Claus is Coming to Town and O Tannenbaum. Some pieces evoke the sonic aesthetic of ECM Records, such as Sing We Now of Christmas, while others impress with Nordic coolness and rhythmic precision—like the opener God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, which evokes the sound of a mountain stream.

Oddgeir Berg (piano, keys), Roger Arntzen (double bass), and Runar Netland (drums) are joined by two guest musicians: saxophonist Iain Ballamy, known for his lyrical contributions, and trumpeter Mike Cottone, whose passionate playing adds a special dynamic to the evening. Berg’s personal connection to Christmas—shaped by his parents’ work with the Salvation Army—is reflected in the communal and festive atmosphere of the program. A concert that blends Christmas spirit with musical experimentation.