Bendik Hofseth - XI

After ten years with few album appearances the versatile Norwegian composer and saxophone player Bendik Hofseth returns with a jazz album recorded in Avatar Studio, New York with a star team of musicians: Mike Mainieri (vibraphone), Gil Goldstein (piano, accordion), Olivier Louvel (guitar), Scott Colley (bass) and Antonio Sanchez (drums). "XI" sums up his wide ranging career so far, and includes songs recorded in many different contexts. Bendik Hofseth got his breakthrough as a musician replacing Michael Brecker in Mike Mainieris band Steps Ahead, a band he still tours with. XI is a beautiful and personal album, and showcases a band on top of it´s game, and some of the finest recorded moments of saxophone playing from Bendik in his long and varied career.