The Nordic Fiddlers Bloc is a fine string trio with members from The Shetland Islands, Norway and Sweden. Kevin Henderson, Olav Luksengård Mjelva and Anders Hall play fiddle, hardanger fiddle, octave fiddle and viola.  Formed in 2009, the Bloc started as a “curiosity” to share and explore each other’s music traditions. Collectively, their silky touch and sweetness of tone make for an intimate aural experience. Following their eponymously-titled debut album in 2011, the group released Deliverance in 2016 and now Bonfrost (a Shetland term for “very hard frost”) in 2021. To capture the feel and energy of a live show, Bonfrost was recorded live and follows their successful approach of offering both traditional music, as well as original tunes in a neo-traditional style, arranged for a string trio.

Lyrical, precise and melodic, the trio’s music is buoyant and danceable, whether it be a Scottish schottische (“Kerlou”), Norwegian “Dravbakken,” or Swedish “Bas-Pelles Eriks Brudpolska.” Original compositions juxtapose nicely with the older tunes, and include Henderson’s “Tune for Lukas” and “Adam’s Nightmare” and Mjelva’s “Don’t Drink and Dance” and “Frygg.” Unlike previous albums, Bonfrost also offers enchanting solo tracks that showcase the three musicians’ individual styles. Henderson plays two great old Shetland reels from the John Stickle fiddle collection, “Be Nort Da Dykes O' Voe” and “Deltingside,” that build with tempo and dynamics. Mjelva fiddles the 18^th Century Norwegian springar tune called “Vrengja,” a showpiece to demonstrate fast bow strokes and triplets on hardanger fiddle.  Hall plays “En Konstig Fan,” a charming polska learned from Emil Olsson. Composed by Eric Öst, “Myrstacken” (Swedish for “the anthill”) is presented with racing classical virtuosity and emotional electricity.  An amiable album, Bonfrost closes with the title cut, Kevin Henderson’s reserved waltz that emphasizes the beautiful, ethereal nature of this music. Like a contradiction of opposing forces, the trio’s music has ephemeral, but also lasting, qualities that connect dots from the past to the future.  (Joe Ross, Roots Music Report)