BOBO STENSON – Contra La Indecisión
ECM 578 6976
Bob Stenson: piano; Anders Jormin: double bass; Jon Falt: drums
Recorded May 2017, Auditorio Stelio Lolo RSI, Lugano
In many ways Bob Stenson is the archetypal ECM musician. This is not simply a result of his long tenure with the label, nor the range of people who he has played with. Rather, the way that he and his fellow players in this long-standing trio, work the pieces in such a considered and balanced manner. This is not to say that the trio are averse to experiment – Jormin’s playing in the high register on his bass in track ‘Three shades of a house’ and track 7 ‘Alice’, can create eerie sounds that reminded me of early electronic music – but that these elements are incorporated into the mix in such a way that it often takes a few listens to pick them up.
As always, Stenson’s piano playing is carefully enunciated, with little in the way of slurring of notes or hammering of chords, and always a joy to hear the way that he builds complex but memorably lyrical lines. Jormin’s bass playing echoes Stenson’s lyricism, with some elegant arco soloing and perfectly placed lines that shadow and support the piano. Falt’s drumming provides an intelligent foil to the two.
The trio continue their eclectic selection of tunes; on this set, there are pieces from Satie, Mompou and Bartok. The title track is from Brazilian composer Rodriguez (whose work the trio had covered on their 2007 Cantando album). The rest of the set consists of five Jormin compositions, 1 from Stenson and a group improvisation. It is, with this trio, not a surprise to hear the Satie or the way that it is given a gentle bop stir. The improvised piece, track 9, ‘Kalimba Impressions’, developed from Falt having two kalimbas of different sizes. Here the group work a simple melody and then let the piece develop around it. As Stenson says, “It doesn’t matter so much where it comes from. For us, it’s more about what we do with it. You try to be true to the original, and you try to take it a little further.” What this modest statement of intent doesn’t quite convey, is how far this trio actually takes the music and how joyful this is to listen to.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
ECM 578 6976
Bob Stenson: piano; Anders Jormin: double bass; Jon Falt: drums
Recorded May 2017, Auditorio Stelio Lolo RSI, Lugano
In many ways Bob Stenson is the archetypal ECM musician. This is not simply a result of his long tenure with the label, nor the range of people who he has played with. Rather, the way that he and his fellow players in this long-standing trio, work the pieces in such a considered and balanced manner. This is not to say that the trio are averse to experiment – Jormin’s playing in the high register on his bass in track ‘Three shades of a house’ and track 7 ‘Alice’, can create eerie sounds that reminded me of early electronic music – but that these elements are incorporated into the mix in such a way that it often takes a few listens to pick them up.
As always, Stenson’s piano playing is carefully enunciated, with little in the way of slurring of notes or hammering of chords, and always a joy to hear the way that he builds complex but memorably lyrical lines. Jormin’s bass playing echoes Stenson’s lyricism, with some elegant arco soloing and perfectly placed lines that shadow and support the piano. Falt’s drumming provides an intelligent foil to the two.
The trio continue their eclectic selection of tunes; on this set, there are pieces from Satie, Mompou and Bartok. The title track is from Brazilian composer Rodriguez (whose work the trio had covered on their 2007 Cantando album). The rest of the set consists of five Jormin compositions, 1 from Stenson and a group improvisation. It is, with this trio, not a surprise to hear the Satie or the way that it is given a gentle bop stir. The improvised piece, track 9, ‘Kalimba Impressions’, developed from Falt having two kalimbas of different sizes. Here the group work a simple melody and then let the piece develop around it. As Stenson says, “It doesn’t matter so much where it comes from. For us, it’s more about what we do with it. You try to be true to the original, and you try to take it a little further.” What this modest statement of intent doesn’t quite convey, is how far this trio actually takes the music and how joyful this is to listen to.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
