Bergen, Norway based Jazz Rock band Whatever Happens Don’t Be Yourself have unveiled second single “School Bus” taken from their upcoming album, “Tales of No Consequence,” set for release on February 27, 2026 via Is It Jazz? Records.
Stream “School Bus” via the Spotify player below:
This is the party you don’t want to miss, no matter what your musical preferences are. The mix of catchy and almost Pop-like melodies with explosive, hard-hitting impro noise is captivating. It’s thrilling battle of two opposites you can’t take your ears off!
Whatever Happens Don’t Be Yourself’s 5th album, “Tales of No Consequence” is set to be released on February 27 and we celebrate the start of 2026 with the release of the first single of the album.
Today the song “School Bus” is out now and it can be heard here: https://orcd.co/schoolbus
Bandleader Nils Are Drønen has this to say about “School Bus”:
“The first part of the song came to me when I was on a bus. I half thought it might already be a tune but the band convinced me otherwise. I finished the second part a few weeks later, and it more or less defined the African vibe of the track. In many ways, I like to think of this track as a tribute to one of my favourite albums, Ghana Special 1968-1981.
I’m really proud of the band and how the free jazz and African influence came together on this tune.“
Formed in 2015 by Nils Are Drønen, the 9-piece orchestra Whatever Happens Don’t Be Yourself has from the start been an improvisational hotbed for both the young and upcoming musicians and more seasoned players in the Bergen Jazz scene.
For this project, Drønen has brought together a band of nine very different musicians: percussionist Snorre Bjerck with a background from World Music (Mari Boine, Sainko Namchylac and Jon Balke), four of the hottest young musicians from the Norwegian Jazz/Impro Scene — Isach Skeidsvoll, Aksel Røed, Rasmus Lagerberg and Torkil Hjelle (General Post Office, Paal Nilsen-Love), guitarist Mads Berven (Kniv og Taffel), Barcelona-based trumpeter Audun Waage (Jo Jo Mayer), and the Norwegian Grammy nominated vocalist Nelly Moar.
Recorded at the Havnelageret Studio in Bergen with Daniel Birkeland as producer and mastered by Zlaya, with cover art by Lasse Marhaug.
“Tales of No Consequence” is now available to Pre-Order on Vinyl here: Webshop | Bandcamp
This live performance by WHDBY is a powerful statement of free music combined with written material. The live sound of WHDBY is inspired by the free spirit of artists such as Art Ensemble of Chicago, Charles Mingus, Alice Coltrane, Steve Reich, Wayne Shorter, Fats Waller and Derek Bailey. WHDBY has played at the AMR Jazz Festival in Geneva and at the Nattjazz Festival in Bergen to name but a few.
Tracklist:
01. Opus X
02. What’s my Chances?
03. Stormy Nights
04. Where the Sky is the Highest
05. Seventy-Two
06. Green Candela Blues
07. Tales of No Consequence
08. School Bus
Lineup:
Isach Skeidsvoll / Piano
Nelly Moar / Vocals
Rasmus Vik Lagerberg / Vibraphone
Audun Waage / Trumpet
Mads Berven / Guitar
Torkil Hjelle / Double Bass
Snorre Bjerck / Percussion
Aksel Røed / Sax
Nils Are Drønen / Drums