Formed in 2016, Aloft Quartet released their debut album «First Year» (AMP Music & Records) in January 2018 and has since then taken a strong hold on the nordic jazz scene. Touring in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Germany the band has played on venues and festivals such as Jazzhus Montmartre and Copenhagen Jazz Festival, Tversted Jazzy Days (DK) and Dølajazz, Lillehammer (NO). On the 12th of November 2018 Aloft Quartet received the Danish Music Awards prize «New Jazz Name of the Year». Soon recording their second album, they are going on tour again to present entirely new music as well as music from «First Year» (which can be found on most streaming platforms).
The sound of the band is a distinct and dynamically varied soundscape of the four musicians merging together as one. Aloft Quartet has gotten a distinguished response and a strong reputation for their dynamically vivid and emotionally moving music.
The band members are accomplished musicians in their early twenties, who are now based in four different places: Berlin, Malmö, Gothenburg and New York City.
Simon Balvig (Aarhus, DK): Alto- and baritone saxophone
Rasmus Sørensen (Sæby, DK): Piano
Jon Henriksson (Gothenburg, SE): Double Bass
Amund Kleppan (Lillehammer, NO: Drums
«The individual performances are all solid and technically perfect. Balvig is especially impressive on the baritone sax, Sorensen plays wonderful arpeggios and is exquisitely melodic, Henriksson is also very melodic and solid, keeping the quartet together and Kleppan is a versatile and precise rhythm keeper. Together the quartet sounds like a well oiled music machine, which considering the young age of these musicians is praiseworthy.»
Review of First Year from Jazz critic Adam Baruch (The Soundtrack of my Life).