Bernhoft

BERNHOFT “SOLIDARITY BREAKS"
Often described as one of the most talented voices in the country, Jarle Bernhoft has built his career step by step. From small roles as a child on stage in the Norwegian Opera, via success with heavy rock and a record deal in Los Angeles, to his first soul influenced solo album, has his music style taken many bends and detours. Now it starts to materialise like a long, wide road with a distinctive character which is unique in Norwegian music.
On the 31 January 2011 he releases his second solo album, ‘Solidarity Breaks’, an album which shows the results of many years of hard work in search of his own voice.
For Bernhoft (born 21 June, 1976) there are no alternatives. Music has always been the most important part of his life. With the band Explicit Lyrics, who later turned into the more successful band Span, he discovered himself as a rock singer and slowly built up a reputation as a voice to be counted on in Norwegian rock. When Span seriously took off, also outside Norway, a mini fairytale in Norwegian music history started.
With Bernhoft’s stage performance described as ‘a giraffe high on PCP’ and having once himself been called ‘the thinking man’s The Hives’, there was certainly never any lack of pace and energy. Span was the hardest working band. Intensive touring extensively across Europe led them to a deal with Island Records in London, later with the American label Interscope Records.
When they released the debut album ‘Mass Distraction’, produced by Gil Norton (Pixies, Foo Fighters, Echo & The Bunnymen) in 2004, the future seemed bright for this four headed rock monster. However, Span played their last concert for a sold out Rockefeller venue in Oslo in October 2005. New challenges were waiting.
Bernhoft’s first solo album, ‘Ceramik City Chronicles (Universal 2008) was a shameless soul party. Backed by a star packed team of Norwegian musicians, the music had its roots in 70’s soul with references to anything from Curtis Mayfield, via Sly & The Family Stone and Stevie Wonder to Michael Jackson. It worked like a love - hate homage to his native city Oslo. The album debuted at no.4 in the charts and brought Jarle out on the roads in Norway and Europe. That was, until he was hit by a private financial crisis.
“The whole tour after the release of Ceramik City Chronicles started with the idea of recreating the album note by note backed by an eight-piece band. After three concerts, I realised I faced bankruptcy and it was difficult to find venues which could afford us. That’s how my one man band started”, he says.
That wasn’t a bad thing. Slowly the rumours started to spread around the country about a unique and surprising stage show. Bernhoft had cut down to the bone and was all alone on stage. With just a couple of guitars, a Fender Rhodes and some electronic gadgets, he had become a one man band with an incredible presence.
With sold out houses all over the country, he recorded the performance in a packed Rockefeller venue in Oslo and released it as the live album ‘1: Man, 2: Band’ on his own label, Kikitépe Cassette, in January 2010. It seemed as if Bernhoft and the world started to think alike:
“I have actually always regarded records as much as a showcase for my live performances as items for sale. Now, when it’s not possible anymore to earn money from releasing music, it’s more important than ever to get out on the roads. That’s why it feels right to release a live album that hopefully will show good, old fashioned live muscles. I’m actually quite prepared for the changes in the music business”, Bernhoft smiles.
He is not alone. Slowly he has built a reputation as a live performer also outside Norway: in Denmark, the UK and especially in Germany where among many other engagements, he supported the legendary Joe Cocker. With over 100,000 tickets sold, Jarle has introduced himself to German audiences – and that as perhaps the world’s most environmentally friendly band.
The album ‘Solidarity Breaks’ is also the result of Bernhoft’s rediscovery of himself as a solo performer. It was recorded in London, produced by Fred Ball (Pleasure, Bertine Zetlitz, Brett Anderson) and has become an organic adventure where Bernhoft admits that being solo has its pros and cons and leaves tracks:
“In a live situation I’m very dogmatic that everything should happen there and then without any pre-programming of any kind. In a studio it’s a little bit silly to tie oneself up too much. But I’m clearly focused on ensuring that this album offers a playfulness that also works on stage”, Jarle says.
There are twelve tracks on the album. Most of them are written by Bernhoft and some in collaboration with the producer Fred Ball, one with the renowned artist Ed Harcourt, one with Jimmy Hogarth (Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Beverly Knight) and one with the keyboardist David Wallumrød.
The album is mostly recorded by Jarle’s one man band with guest appearances by among others Knut Reiersrud (f