Caktus’ music is placed in between fragility and strength – beauty and intensity - chamber music and grooves. Caktus is almost a double-trio with two double basses and two saxophones, which gives the group a lot of strength, but also challenges the arrangements. In the music, you will experience the reflections of the instruments, and the reflected trio-format, as well as reflected and twisted melodies and ideas. The group was founded in Denmark in 2017, and has since then played more than 40 concerts in Northern Europe. Their debut-album ‘Under Solen’ (Under the sun), was released in 2020 on Barefoot Records, and has received a lot of positive reviews and attention, a.o a nomination at the Danish Critics Prize as ‘Composer of the year’, a nomination at Danish Music Awards Jazz as ‘Album of the year’, and on the newspaper Information and the magazine Passive/Aggressive’s list of top 20 albums of the year.
Caktus focuses on the acoustic sound and are driven by ...

Caktus’ music is placed in between fragility and strength – beauty and intensity - chamber music and grooves. Caktus is almost a double-trio with two double basses and two saxophones, which gives the group a lot of strength, but also challenges the arrangements. In the music, you will experience the reflections of the instruments, and the reflected trio-format, as well as reflected and twisted melodies and ideas. The group was founded in Denmark in 2017, and has since then played more than 40 concerts in Northern Europe. Their debut-album ‘Under Solen’ (Under the sun), was released in 2020 on Barefoot Records, and has received a lot of positive reviews and attention, a.o a nomination at the Danish Critics Prize as ‘Composer of the year’, a nomination at Danish Music Awards Jazz as ‘Album of the year’, and on the newspaper Information and the magazine Passive/Aggressive’s list of top 20 albums of the year.
Caktus focuses on the acoustic sound and are driven by their love and eager for experiments and improvisation.

Like a plant that grows where the glittering stars on the night sky are brightest and where everything needs to travel far and slow, the listener must be prepared for long musical travels filled with space for improvisation. The musical foundation is often a groove like in West African music, but Maria Dybbroe’s compositions are also inspired by modern classical pieces, and in-between the chaos of ostinatos you will meet melancholic melodies as in the Nordic folklore tradition – though everything is freely interpreted as in avant-garde jazz. Romantic images of open landscapes, mirages and the Cactus plant’s rough and sharp prickles are altogether descriptive of this music.

”The beauty of this composition (Under Solen) is how the pieces weave in and out of the jazz fabric. At times sonic stitches reaching the turbulence of dizzying heights, then back to the comforts of a traditional tapestry most listeners are familiar with. The band works true magic with their ability to use aural overcast stitching. Taking raw and less tempered sounds and enclosing them with soothing ambience of patience and reserve
(…) Saxophones are talking in a place far from this world. They squeal in pitches above comfortable levels, then vibrate with low releasing resonance. At times they speak in violent unison, a different language for each, then follow amazingly with echos between themselves in exactly the same moments. There are instances holding the softest murmurs, like they are trying to lull each other to sleep. Horns fading into dusk then darkness.
(…)Under Solen is a focal point for creativity by many consciousnesses, and with this mix of large diversity, the sounds are laser focused with amazing clarity.”
(Lost in the Sea of Sound, november 2020)

"Egg and Hen and Dove
The sun rose over the small landscape
it was that time of year
where life awakens anew
Dove shook his wings
Hen sat on his stick
Eggs said nothing
This poem of Christian Hasse captures the nature of the music with greater clarity than any adjectives we supply here. This is a music of shaking wings, sticks and nothing. The appreciation of the music is heightened by the presence of the accompanying text, which serves as a stimulant to the active listener, provoking their internal antennae."
(David, The Poison Pie, oktober 2020)...

Read more Hide full description.