Dadafon

Biography

Dadafon is a norwegian band. Before Dadafon came to light they were called “Coloured Moods”. The band was formed in 1995 by drummer Martin Smidt and included Kristin Asbjønsen, Carl Haakon Waadeland, Jostein Ansnes and Bjørn Ole Solberg. The band gathered elements from African music. In general it was Smidts own transcripts from Ghana. The album “Coloured Moods” was released in 1998. Rhythms, soundscapes and improvisation were central and Kristin sang most of the songs in her own made-up languag...

Dadafon is a norwegian band. Before Dadafon came to light they were called “Coloured Moods”. The band was formed in 1995 by drummer Martin Smidt and included Kristin Asbjønsen, Carl Haakon Waadeland, Jostein Ansnes and Bjørn Ole Solberg. The band gathered elements from African music. In general it was Smidts own transcripts from Ghana. The album “Coloured Moods” was released in 1998. Rhythms, soundscapes and improvisation were central and Kristin sang most of the songs in her own made-up language.
In the fall of 2000 the band changed their named into Dadafon and recorded the album “And I can’t stand still”. Asbjørnsen had been on a trip to Africa. The music was inspired by traditional African music from Gambia, Mali and Ghana, as well as afro-American spirituals.

Dadafon left their own company called RIM records and signed with the little record company Via Music before their next release. On the “Release Me” Ep from July 2002 Dadafon has been re-in forced with Cellist Øyvind Engen. For the first time the songs have been composed from scratch with music written by Kristin Asbjørnsen and Jostein Ansnes. The songs are based on simple, melodic structures combined with an organic soundscape where the African feel has been slightly toned down. Impulses from the Southern US music tradition can be heard. Kristin Asbjørnsen has written most of the lyrics and in addition “borrowed” lyrics from the Victorian poets Elisabeth Barret Browning, Christina Rosetti and Walt Whitman. Dadafon can be described as passionate love songs with both strong melancholy and a feisty devilish energy.


When the album “Visitor” was released in October 03, the press was over themselves with excitement. Dadafon received a nomination for the “Spelemannsprisen” award in the Pop category and and won the Alarm award in the Jazz category.

The bass player Eirik Øien joined the band after having contributed on the album whilst the drummers/ percussionist’s Waadeland and Smith left the band and was replaced by Kenneth Kapstad.

2003 was an active year for Dadafon with over 40 concert performances both in Norway and abroad. Through their performances in rock venues, cultural venues and jazz clubs the band has reached a constantly growing audience. In September Dadafon built their own studio on the docks of Trondheim and recorded the single “And so we have to say goodbye” at the same time as they decided to sign with Universal Music Norway.


“Harbour” was recorded during the fall and was mixed in Oslo in January 2004. The record is a continuation of both the musical and the lyrical aspect of “Visitor” with a “tighter” band and a more energetic rhythm section.


It is still the strong melodies and the powerful and danceable rhythms that are the main focus, and with Dadafons unique string-instruments and vocal harmonies Kristin Asbjørnsen sings more intense, raw and seductive as ever before.




Albums;

*Coloured Moods (RIM - 1998)
*And I Can't Stand Still (RIM - 2001)
*Visitor (VIA - 2002)
*Harbour (Universal –2004)

KRISTIN ASBJØRNSEN / vocal
JOSTEIN ANSNES / gitarer / vocal
ØYVIND ENGEN / cello / vocal
EIRIK ØIEN/ bass/vocal
KENNETH KAPSTAD/ drums
Rune Holme/Sound



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