Alf Storrud is a senior consultant at Oslo University. With his wife, he has translated several books by Orhan Pamuk, winner of the 2006 Nobel Prize in Literature, into Norwegian.
He has co-curated a career overview double cd of Jackson C. Frank’s songs.
And he loves Fred Grittner’s music.
He is a master of funny and quirky drawings, the topics quite surprising, which can be found on Facebook. There is a new one every Friday.

Here his notes on the ‘Sunshine And The Shadows’ cd:

Hello Jan,

I’ve finally had time to give the new album a “deep listening” and I like it a lot! It is a collection of mature, touching and well-constructed songs – real pieces of art 😊

What follows is not a review, just some stray thoughts and impressions jotted down while listening. I do not comment on the cover songs – but I really enjoyed them as well and if I had not known some of them, I would have taken them for yours – They fit in perfectly.

Hey, Songwriter
This I perceive as the albums – and your – statement of intent. The lyrics are captivating, the melody is strong and I love the mandolin fills floating over the guitar. A strong opener.

You Have To Like Lonesome
A great Grittner/Beliveau lyric set to a slowly burning, evocative melody. Great vocals and arrangement – Powerful and reflective music and full of pictures that resonate in the listeners mind.
“You have to like lonesome if you’re just a one man show” Wow …

Zirbeldrüse und Blutgemüse (Sine Qua Non)
I did not know that ironic polkas existed as a genre – A great change of tempo just when the album needed an uptempo song – and great nose poking lyrics, as I gather from comparing it with “Pineal Gland Goulash And Young Blood Veggies (Sine Qua Non)” Great guitar – I love both versions – The second I call Rolling Stones meet Swift!

Memories
A great lilting tune and lyrics we all can relate to, about how the mind plays tricks on us.
The mix of melancholy and irony works very well. Great song, could easily be a “new jazz standard” if you pitch it to Harry Connick

The Talk (White Privilege)
Another song with a great, almost jazzy feel to it. Sadly this song is still necessary –
Powerful and angry “slice of life ” lyrics and music that supports the speak singing perfectly

The Sun Is Out Today
A strong, calypso like melody and beautiful acoustic strumming. Strong vocals and touching lyrics. And again those mandolin fills.

Less Is More
A sturdy rock groove carries some incisive Grittner lyrics and the guitar sounds great – Fuzzy simplicity! Great vocals!

Bible Belt Jesus
Don’t we all despise and pity these kind of people and their self-made bigot theology – And the Bible belt stretches all the way to Oslo, Norway!

Room 13
This is a fascinating, cleverly constructed short story, full of suspense, and put to a funky catchy Hauenstein groove. A very cinematic song! I suspected a murder and was happily surprised this was about something else. Lovely song and great guitar.

Makes As Much Sense
Absurd verses about our absurd existence, and a refrain that makes sense of it all – Great stomping melody – Loved the piano.

Two Old Men
A great portrait – a bit sad, but mostly filled with hope. The melody is effortlessly catchy

Just A Little Blue Touch
One of the most harrowing tunes on the album. Understated, atmospheric guitar picking – The lyrics are a strong and down to earth description of the dreadful human condition. A title to kill for and wonderful vocals! – This song  hit me hard.

A Malt, A Pipe, And An Old Guitar
Luckily the album ends on a more optimistic note – There is a cure (or three 😊) and there is still hope. This is the life philosophy this album’s journey has brought us to – Smoky and evocative – an instant classic!

So there you are – My stray thoughts! Thank you for a great and inspiring album.
I was sincerely moved by it – Keep them coming!

All the best
Alf

Sunshine And The Shadows – seventeen songs, 62 minutes.

Fourteen original songs, one of them co-written with Fred Grittner, one with Fred and Ron Beliveau, three cover songs.

Folk, Rock, Blues, Americana and Jazz

Songs about loss, danger, the tricks memories play, hope, joy, comfort, fools, gangsters and sex. Some funny ones.

Thanks to Fred Grittner, who played mandolin and lead guitar and mastered the album, and to Claudia Wichmann, who sang background vocals.

Daniel Tappe created the promo video.

The album as well as individual songs can be downloaded via

janhauenstein.bandcamp.com

For physical cds, email janhauenstein@gmx.de

The 2020 album – 2020 Vision, due to be published 09 September 2020.

16 songs. One hour of music. Interesting arrangements, I have been told.
Songs that tell a story, tunes for our grandkids, political songs, the angry kind, quirky songs.
Folk, Americana, Europeana, blues, rock, jazz.

12 originals, one of them co-written with Fred Grittner, one with Terry Lee Ransom.
Four covers.

Not 20-20 vision, 2020 Vision. See cover.

Big thanks to Fred Grittner who gave advice, mastered the album and played guitar,
Claudia Wichmann who sang background vocals and Charlie Woodward who also played guitar.
Daniel Tappe created the promo video. Thank you!

2020 Vision is dedicated to Tomke Hauenstein and John Prine.

Bandcamp is the new place now. All albums uploaded.

CDBaby always happily shouted ‘We love you!’ – no matter how inappropriate the occasion. Now they have shown us artists how much they love us by closing down their store.
For quite a few artists a major portion of their income was generated via said store.
Many thanks, CDBaby. At the moment a few links on my webpage lead nowhere.
So I looked around a bit and asked my friend Fred Grittner for advice. He recommended Bandcamp.  Thanks, Fred!
Have uploaded the 2019 and 2018 albums, the others will follow as time allows.
Songs and albums can be uploaded there. For physical cds, email janhauenstein@gmx.de

https.//janhauenstein.bandcamp.com

Hello Jan,

…. Got my third listen in today. …
If I don´t mention a song, it´s because I haven´t heard it clearly enough to comment.
LOVE TOO LATE – Well spoken, touched some old cords (and chords) with me. Has a nice roundness to it.
NO NAME – Good! Thank you. Well set, with the kind of spooky tune and accompaniment.
I´ve called those attacks consummate acts of cowardice – which they are, but then Miller Williams´ poem “Compassion” reminds me “You do not know what wars are going on / down there, where the spirit meets the bone.” …
THIEF Of DANCES – Couldn´t get it all, but enjoyed the contrast between the grisly sounding words and the jolly sounding accomp’ment.
TWO – Lovely. Never heard this idea so clearly, personally stated. Music very interesting, especially @ the end.
SICK – Nice use of 2 vocal textures.
GLORIOUS FALLEN – 1. Good singing 2. Good song. I´m going to send this CD to Alan Magee – artist/re-becoming musician doing a great job of speaking truth to power, internationally – I´m beginning to think of you two in the same breath.
MAYA WALKING – Nice to write a song about – heartwarming – and I like the light touch w/ the percussion.
UNEXPECTED – I got most of it. Good work. GREAT guitar solo!
FARAWAY TOM –  …. You set it very nicely – put it in a good place-to-go-to.
PAST FORWARD – You nailed this one, idea and delivery. Good music, GREAT ending.
THAT BORDER AGAIN – I loved the choice – simplicity – of using this to end the album. Great use of voice.
(OOPS – The Robert Johnson blues was very well done, singing was clear, music was a nice tribute but very much your own.)
All in all, Jan – this strikes me strongest of anything I´ve heard of yours.
The music is varied in structure, genre and approach, the “band” has never sounded as strongly in your groove. ….
There´s fine, clear, strong statements here, well anchored in historic reality, and you´re singing them honestly and very well. I find the whole thing stunning, and very essential to these times.
An excellent piece of work, my friend.

Long may you rave.

Gordon