This two-CD anthology, assembled by Norwegian pianist Jon Balke, contains music from a trilogy of albums made in the period 1993 to 2001 by the Magnetic North Orchestra, drawing upon the same core of musicians, with Audun Kleive and Anders Jormin as the ensemble's pulsating engine and Morten Halle, Per Jørgensen and, later, Arve Henriksen as the leading melodic improvising players. The integration of string players was a key element of the music, and the MNO worked with a high profiled line of musicians.

Jon Balke says: "My agenda after leaving Oslo 13 was to work my way around the overwhelming big band sound as the defining characteristic of a large improvising ensemble. Inspired by Gil Evans, Claus Ogerman and Oum Khalsoum, I saw the possibility of blending my favourite musicians into a sound that could wrap itself around my compositional ideas."

The compilation includes music from Magnetic North's ECM albums Further and Kyanos as well as nine tracks from Solarized, an album previously issued by Emarcy and long out-of-print. The release of Magnetic Works coincides with Jon Balke's residency at the Molde Jazz Festival.

Artists

Jens Petter Antonsen (trumpet), Per Jørgensen (trumpet/vocals), Arve Henriksen (trumpet/vocals), Morten Halle (alto saxophone/flute), Tore Brunborg (saxophones), Gertrud Økland (violin), Henrik Hannisdal (violin), Odd Hannisdal (violin), Trond Villa (viola), Marek Konstantynowicz (viola), Jonas Franke-Blom (cello), Svante Henryson (cello), Morten Hannisdal (cello), Jon Balke (piano/keyboards/percussion, electronics), Anders Jormin (double bass), Marilyn Mazur (percussion), Audun Kleive (drums)