Conceived by
Arild Andersen (double bass) and
Jon Christensen (drums) as a vehicle for their talents, the ensemble assumed a group dynamic with the inclusion of
Jon Balke (keyboards),
Tore Brunborg (saxophone) and
Nils Petter Molvær (trumpet), Initially called The Arild Andersen Quintet, the group name of Masqualero was one that listeners inadvertently selected for the group. The group performed as a quartet for their final album,
Re-Enter, recording with neither a pianist or guitarist. As frequent recipients of the prestigious
Spellemannprisen, Masqualero are influential for being an early distillation of the
Nordic or
Scandinavian jazz style, and cultivated by
Manfred Eicher's ECM Records more generally. Masqualero's recorded output remains highly influential among present-day jazz performers, including
Tord Gustavsen and Petter Frost Fadnes. Critical appraisal of Masqualero reflects this, with their impact frequently deemed to be "seminal" and "ground breaking". In recent interviews Andersen has expressed regret that the band changed its name to Masqualero, since both he and Christensen were well known in
Scandinavia and even internationally. Recognition of Masqualero's music was therefore lower than it should have been, while the name also gave a false impression of the group's music. While performing in
Santa Monica, Andersen has noted that audience members, who were unfamiliar with the group's music, thought Masqualero was a "Mexican
salsa band". ==Honors==