Yggdrasil (band)

Yggdrasil (band)

Yggdrasil is a Nordic music ensemble based in the Faroe Islands. The band was formed in 1981 by the Danish composer and pianist Kristian Blak, who has written most of the material for the group. From the very beginning, Yggdrasil has included musicians from other countries, having varied musical backgrounds, mainly in jazz, but also in ethnic, folk, rock and classical music.

Most works have been created in relation with other forms of art : visual art, poetry, ballet, opera - or in some cases, with nature (concertos in sea caves). The compositions draw ideas and themes from ethnic material from the North Atlantic region, such as Faroese ballads, hymns and rhymes, Inuit songs or Shetland folk music. Improvisation takes a large part in the interpretation and ranges from free and ethno-jazz to classical and world music.

The band is named after the world tree Yggdrasil in Norse mythology.