We reunite with Snorre Kirk, the drummer who's first solo album, "Blues Modernism", has been released in 2012. Since then we realized we're not listening to some ordinary drum roadie album, regarding the extended drum solos, brightly spotted on rhythmic greatness.Snorre Kirk is obviously distinguishing himself as an individual musician, but not in an emphatic way. More like in a personal and versatile way. His inspiration is strongly related to the birth place of jazz music. His compositions sound like standard pieces from a post-war America. The swing from the Duke Ellington legends cannot be performed unless you feel it the way back then. There is no such thing as Scandinavian swing. But there are Scandinavian swingers. "Top Dog" album gives us specific orchestral elements, to which Snorre Kirk has accustomed us. And in addition to the blues and precision of the Ellington style, we also feel another influence, extended also inthe leadership quality of Kirk the drummer. That influence is the one from the landmark generator, Count Basie. To the group is added a guitar player and the leader stays dedicated to the old-school jazzwith an remarkable quality of uniting something old and beautiful into a fresh and engaging sound. "Top Dog" means the art of revitalizing the classic in 2023.