Press:

" Graf has been playing on the Scandinavian jazz scene for long enough to have earned the title ‘legend’ and his ability to play two keyboards simultaneously lends an intriguing edge to these performances. Watching the DVD, you see him playing so nonchalantly that it is easy to miss the fact that he is playing two keyboards at different tempos with different melodies to produce an interplay of sounds that gives the trio presence and depth. That the keyboard playing alone is well worth listening only tells half the story."
Chris Baber - Jazzview

" This is a world-class band with a sound that recalls fusion keyboard-oriented music from artists like Chick Corea and Joe Zawinul (and Weather Report). Sunrain is a live recording with both audio and video (DVD) discs. " Marc Sullivan @ All About Jazz
Marc Sullivan - All About Jazz

" the cheerful and funky jazz album "Sunrain" (released as version concert DVD) is an excellent document not only great music, interesting ideas and arrangements, but above all shows how important the caracter of pianist Haakon Graf and how important his sounds are in a standard jazz trio ." Dionizy Piatkowski
Dionizy Piatkowski - Era Jazzu

“Graf / Smith / Mathisen – “Sunrain” This is the debut album by the Norwegian Jazz-Funk Fusion trio led by veteran keyboardist (now living in the US) Haakon Graf with bass legend Per Mathisen and drummer Erik Smith. The live recording presents nine original compositions, all by Graf. The CD is accompanied by a DVD, which presents another live recording of the trio captured six month earlier at the same Oslo club, which includes twelve tunes, also composed by Graf, about half of which also appear on the CD. Haakon produced many splendid recordings over the years and it is a real pleasure to see (and hear) him again in such splendid form as he is on this album. There is perhaps nothing revolutionary here, as far as Jazz-Funk Fusion is concerned, but the excellent tunes and superb execution are enough to make this album a great fun to listen to. This is the European form of Funk, which is elegant, well behaved and sophisticated, and which differs from the US form mostly emphasizing g”
Adam Beruch - The Soundtrack Of My Life

" The Concert You Thought Was Impossible " Haakon Graf keys, Staffan William-Olsson guitar, Per Mathisen bass -Erik Smith drums “ it is not possible to describe this music in a sensible way so that it may be comprehensible to those who weren’t present. Even trying to describe this level of skills and musicality would make most people think I am exaggerating The strongest superlatives would not be strong enough. This was music far beyond ordinary mortals comprehension. Is it really possible to be this good? “ Review from Hemnes Jazzfestival August 8, 2015 by Tore M Furuhatt
Tore M Furuhatt - Hemnesvaeringen

" Few, if any norwegian musicians, has a more impressive list of merits than Haakon Graf. And You don't need many minutes in the company of the keyboard virtuoso to understand why worldclass musicians and artists want him on their team. Haakon Graf plays around in a LA fusion landscape with a variation that documents Graf's ability and gifts as a musician, composer and arranger. Each track provides new elements and expressions, elegant transmissions and sophisticated breaks spiced up with latin rhythms and westcoast references. It's been 15 years since Graf's last record, now he has loaded up his fusion gun and hits bullseye with a sharpshooters precision. The result is extremely enjoyable. The title track is a good example and hits the top level of the scale either you're in the car, having a drink on the terrace or just want to listen to some incredible good music. "
Moss Avis - Knut Eigil Nesselquist

“Haakon is my favorite musician”
Flora Purim - @ Alva`s Performance Center, San Pedro

" It`s Your turn now "
Narada Michael Walden - Kimballs East, Emeryville

" Graf is a spirited and intelligent player. Rather than exhaust the audience with non-stop flash, he builds his solos carefully, keeping the listener interested from beginning to end. He has chops to spare, but never scoundrels them. I can`t wait to hear more from him."
Keyboard Magazine

“GRAFITTI at Catalina's in LA 1994. LA TImes Review February 3, 1994 by Don Heckman " Grafitti's most appealing quality was its crisp ensemble work and the engaging modesty of the players. Smiling, relaxed and musically interactive, they never fell prey to the artificial posturing that plagues many contemporary jazz groups. "”
Don Heckman - Los Angeles Times