About

a Crack in Time and the Break of Dawn is a musical project built around improvised experimental jam music. The goal is to submit oneself to the spontaneity of the moment and play whatever the heart dictates, while retaining awareness of the surroundings, ones interaction and the musical result as a whole. The music cannot be said to belong to any one genre. Often, influences from a wide range of genres including acoustic, rock, alternative, avant-garde, electronic, and world can be heard.

a Crack in Time and the Break of Dawn – Christmas Jam Session 2009. Left to right: Marius Loland, Magnar Loftshus, Øyvind Aandalen, Preben Eikås, Heinz Graf, Helge Corneliussen, Rolf Gunnar Augland, Lars Olav Mangelrød, Rune Thilesen, Dag Ove Valsgård. Photo: Heinz Graf/Svein Otto Vigmostad

a Crack in Time and the Break of Dawn was initiated through a 48-hour long improvised experimental jam music feast in the Norwegian woods in late summer 2005, on the initiative of founder Helge Corneliussen. This resulted in 5 CDs that are available on CD-Baby and iTunes. Since then, the project has evolved into regular Jam-events at which participants range from 2-15 per session, including visual artists. These events take place at various locations both indoors and outdoors. Each session is recorded at the highest possible standards. In 2009, the independent record and publishing company Northern Jam Consorption took over the distribution of the extensive catalog of improvised experimental jam music and now plans regular releases for the future.

The project came to life much as a result of tiredness of the uniform and money-motivated tendencies of popular music, and a thirst for something more liberated and genuine. Traditional musical structures are ignored. Often, untraditional musical instruments are used or traditional musical instruments are used in an untraditional way. The recording process is an integrated part of the music making and is performed in the same spontaneous manner as the musicianship. The sound is evolving constantly as the heart takes on different beats and, while acknowledging the suffering and the pain, won’t ever stop beating for the beauty and the bliss.