far by Tor Einar Bekken

In Norwegian, the word "far" means 'father'. In certain dialects, the word also means 'traces' or 'footprints'. In English of course, it may mean 'distant' or 'remote'. My father passed away in June, 2024, aged 92. He was a genuine and good man, never distant or remote, and he left his kind footprints in the lives of his family, as well as in the lives of the children he met as a primary school teacher for almost forty years. When he died, greetings poured in from all over, praising him for being a teacher who actually saw greatness in every kid, and who treated them all with deep respect. My father travelled far in life; he came from the hardship and dire poverty of 1930s Finnskogen, Norway, a remote rural area in the southeast. He was a descendant of Finnish immigrants, and went to work as a lumberjack as a teen. He got into higher education via auditions, which he passed after extensive self study, and became a well read and ever searching man, with a profound love of knowledge, literature, and with the biggest humanist heart anyone could wish for. His memory is beautiful, and now that he has gone as far as any man can go, I have recorded these two lengthy, pacing, dark keyboard pieces for him. I will always remember him with deep gratitude.

Improvising pianist, keyboardist and guitarist, Finnskogen & Trondheim, Norway. Jazz-, blues-, and folk based improv, mostly solo. Has performed everywhere; from dive bars, clubs, and festivals, to the Royal Albert Hall. In addition to concert appearances, Bekken is currently Associate Professor of Music at The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).

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