String Zone, formerly Northern Europe Jazz Quartet (NEJQ), was established in 1998 by the Norwegian jazzviolinist Stig Roar Wigestrand, and has given lots of concerts at jazzclubs and festivals in Norway and Sweden. String Zone's concept is modern, melodic jazz - with strong influences from rock and other music genres. The compositions are exclusively made by the band members.

The American jazz magazine Cadence's June issue 2003 was one of several international jazz magazines reviewing our first cd NEJQ, among other things writing the following:

"They create a totally individual all-acoustic sound (...) NEJQ's enthusiasm is infectious, and I kept returning the disc to the player (...) Their reverence for the Jazz tradition as stated above is evident from the breadth of non-originals whose composers are Sammy Cahn, Eric Dolphy, Duke Ellington, Joe Henderson, and Ornette Coleman. This reverence is tempered, in a very likeable way, by rock and pop sensibility. They love Jazz, take it seriously, and have fun all at the same time (...) The rest of the tunes are just as entrancing, each spotlighting something else about the group interaction or individual talents (...) A wonderful offering; get it and be ready to smile and dance around with these fantastic players."

The swedish jazz magazine Orkesterjournalen, issue no. 4, 2002, wrote (our translation):

"Ornette Coleman's blues Ramblin' is played in a fast tempo which feels good. The guitarists' introduction to A nightingale sang in Berkely Square is played in a very tastefull way (...) The interaction between the two guitarplayers is brilliant throughout the entire album, supporting eachother and playing solos on five tunes each, respectively. Watle sometimes scats in unison with his improvised lines."

String Zone released their first cd in December 2001, at that time by the name NEJQ, and this is what some of the newspapers had to say:

Dagbladet: "...swinging with guts and elegance in and around neck-breaking solos."
Varden: "Delicious."
Stavanger Aftenblad: "The album is recorded live in studio, and has an elegant and toying touch."
Aftenposten: "Without any doubt, NEJQ holds the potential of an international breakthrough."

Stig Roar Wigestrand - violin
Øivind Wang Tollefsen - guitar
Per Einar Watle - guitar
Per Mathisen - bass