Being There is the culmination of a trilogy that started with 2003’s Changing Places and 2005’s The Ground. As such, it has a retrospective quality that pulls at the heartstrings. Alongside bassist Harald Johnsen and drummer Jarle Vespestad, pianist Tord Gustavsen crafts some of the most achingly melodic jazz one could imagine. It’s the kind of music you might put on in the background for a gathering, only to find that everyone falls silent and listens to the end. The hymnal qualities of Gustavsen’s writing, especially in tunes like “Vesper,” shine through most vividly.

– Tyran Grillo