Krokofant

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Krokofant is a progressive free jazz-rock instrumental trio from Kongsberg, Buskerud, Norway, comprising guitarist Tom Hasslan, saxophonist Jørgen Mathisen, and drummer Axel Skalstad. The band's sound weds neo-psychedelic progressive rock influenced by King Crimson and Henry Cow, to the improvisational power of electric jazz ensembles such as Terje Rypdal's quartet, the improvisational chaos of Last Exit. They name is from a mythical creature out of a popular Norwegian children's song, described as "a lumbering trumpeting beast with a fearsome array of teeth in its snapping jaws, a dead cross between an elephant and a crocodile." They issued an eponymous album in 2014. 2015's II and 2017's III won global acclaim and made the band an international touring staple. For 2019's Q, they expanded with the addition of keyboardist Ståle Storløkken, and intrepid bassist Ingebrigt Håker Flaten; they remained a quintet for 2021's Fifth, and pared to the original trio again for 2025's 6. Krokofant was formed in 2011 as a guitar-and-drum duo when Hasslan met Skalstad in a guitar shop and they began playing together, working out an explosive prog rock-meets-free jazz sound. The trio was completed in 2012 when they encountered Mathisen, already a seasoned veteran having played in Norwegian groups Shagma, the Core, and Zanussi Five. The trio quickly gained popularity in Norway as part of a burgeoning 21st century jazz-rock scene. Their self-titled debut album was issued by Rune Grammofon in March of 2014. Greeted with enthusiasm by both rock and jazz fans, the band toured the festival circuit in Europe over much of the next year. In 2016, they emerged with their sophomore album, the even more aggressive Krokofant 2, followed by the aptly named Krokofant 3 in 2017. The band switched it up for Q in September of 2019. They added two specifically sought-after guests in keyboardist Ståle Storløkken (Elephant9, Supersilent, Terje Rypdal) and bassist Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (the Thing, Scorch Trio, Atomic). They assisted in pursuing a wider textural scope in compositions that ranged from near-pastoral to aggressive jazz-rock. Fifth appeared in 2022 utilizing the same lineup and supporting the album on the road in Europe. In 2023, Krokofant made the decision to return to a trio, minus Storløkken and Håker Flaten. They also made the decision to leave longtime label Rune Grammofon. They toured for months and signed with Is It Jazz? Krokofant entered the studio in 2024 and co-produced 6, their label debut, released in January 2025. ~ Thom Jurek, Rovi