Espen Berg Trio release “Russians (Sting)” - a powerful reinterpretation of a classic

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The choice of song is personal for pianist and bandleader Espen Berg, but also deeply rooted in the present moment. Russians carries a historical resonance that today feels newly urgent and painfully relevant in light of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

“I chose to arrange Russians both because it’s a song I have a close relationship with, and because it reflects something of the world we are living in now,” says Berg.

In the trio’s version, Prokofiev’s iconic melody is placed within a new musical framework. The arrangement explores polymetric structures and rhythmic interference, while the harmonic language reinforces the work’s gravity and intensity. The chords move diatonically in fifths - a gesture that also symbolically points to the trio’s fifth album.

Towards the climax, the musical space expands further as the circle of fifths is fully employed, creating a cyclical form with an almost transcendental effect - a musical movement that suggests the possibility of transformation.

“My hope is that the conflict may one day reach a similar resolution - that something new can emerge. A new kind of interaction between two independent, yet interconnected parties,” Berg adds.

The single is part of Entropies, Espen Berg Trio’s fifth album, marking a new high point in their artistic output. Four years after their previous release, the album stands as their most concise and fully realized work to date. With their distinctive sound, combining complex rhythms, strong melodic sensibility, and an intense, virtuosic interplay, the trio continues to challenge and renew the piano trio format.

Since their debut, Espen Berg Trio have established themselves as one of Europe’s leading jazz trios, with extensive international touring and widespread critical acclaim. With Russians, they demonstrate how music can both reflect and process the tensions of our time, while also pointing forward.