SVENSK JAZZHISTORIA VOL 11 - Jazz Cosmopolit
Caprice 22067 (4CD Set)
Feauturing : Work & Leisure, Georg Riedel, Radiojazz Group, Takt & Ton, Coastal Band, Sten Öberg Kvintett, Staffan Hard, Sevda, Nils Sandström, Mount Everest, Roberg Malmberg, Red Mitchell, Putte Wickman, Wallgrens Orchestra, Janne Schaffer, Rena Rama, Bernt Rosengrens Quartet, Nannie Porres, Appendix, Umeå Big Band, Alice Babs, Nils Lindberg, Gugge Hedrenius Big Blues Band, Jan Garbarek, Bobo Stenson Quartet, Lasse Werner and His Friends, Gothenburg Music Quartet, Björn Alkes Quartet, Solar Plexus, Mount Everest, Åke Johansson Trio, Monica Zetterlund, Steve Kuhn, Eje Thelin Group, Iskra, Ann Kristin Hedmark & Sandvik Big Band, The Spear Range, The Grain, The Music Group October, Lars Gullin, Urban Hansson & Emphasis on Jazz, Opposite Corner, Witch Milk, Egba, Pulse, Bengt Hallberg, Bent Persson, Sansara Music Band, Lennart Åberg Orchestra, Okay Temiz & Oriental Wind, Sture Nordin Sextet, Angel Games, Monica Dominique, Erik Norström, Nexus, Christer Boustedt Quintet, Mwendo Dawa, Waves, Mamba, Su mpens Swingsters, Saxes Galore, Per Henrik Wallin Trio, Lokomotiv Konkret, Peter Gullin, Tintomara
Stan Getz’s foray into Sweden in the 1950s was one of the first indications to many of us that jazz had penetrated that far north. How wrong we were! Jazz had been there from the beginning. Louis Armstrong, Albert Ayler, Cecil Taylor, Charlie Parker, Ornette Coleman were received with warmth and acclaim. We realised that vocalists such as Alice Babs and Monica Zetterlund and instrumentalists such as Bengt Hallberg and Lars Gullin ranked high in the jazz world internationally. This volume of Swedish jazz history, the eleventh, covers the years 1970 -1979. The volume has four CDs showing the vast influences that have impacted on Swedish jazz. This was a period when jazz shifted with new forms of improvisations, influences from cultural shifts, rock music and the avant-garde. The nearly 200-page booklet accompanying the CDs includes an essay by Stuart Nicholson and profiles of Lennart Aberg and Monica Dominique.
The four CDs cover a period of time each: 1970 – 1973; 1973 – 1975; 1976 – 1977; 1978 – 1979. (72 tracks in total).
Samplers like this are intent on providing a complete picture of a complex scene. The occasional track might inspire you to follow one musician further. However, this comprehensive picture might have been better arranged in genres rather than time periods.
The Swedish Jazz Group on the first CD has Rolf Ericson in the trumpet section and Arne Domnerus on alto playing a piece by Georg Riedel. The vigorous piece with Sabu Martinez on conga seems to betray the influence of George Russell. Variety is provided by the fluent abstract guitar playing of Steffan Harde. Steffan sounds completely himself. The track was recorded at his home in 1971. A mysterious figure who recorded one album and disappointed by his lack of recognition did not record again. His individuality has since been recognised but too late. One fascinating story.
The second CD opens with the Umea Big Band playing ‘Love for Sale’ using the Buddy Rich arrangement. The guest soloist is Benny Bailey. It seems to show that Swedes can copy conventional big band sounds as well as anybody. Similarly, Alice Babs, who was admired by Ellington, is featured on a piece from an Ellington concert on the Duke’s final European tour. Jan Garbarek and Bobo Stenson are featured playing ‘Witchi-Tai-To’. Hearing those three pieces in quick succession reveals the variety and indigestibility of selections like this. The group Mount Everest play homage to Albert Ayler as they play ‘Spirits’ with all the verve and passion that Ayler showed on his brief stay in the country.
Part of Lars Gullin’s suite called ‘The Aching Heart of An Oak’ opens the third disc and it enables us to hear the beautiful rich sound of Gullin’s baritone. Bent Persson and Ulf Johansson show that the influence of Louis Armstrong was still potent in Sweden as they expertly play ‘High Society’.
‘Swedish Love in the Southern Bronx Part 1’ opens the fourth CD. Written by Monica Dominique the suite is a brassy big band piece. Monica is better known in Sweden than she is in the rest of Europe. Her life story does illustrate the difficulty that women experience in being accepted in Jazz. Someone who is accepted is Carla Bley. The group Nexus play the Carla Bley theme ‘Ida Lupino’ showing how fertile that theme is for improvisation.
This collection is ideal if you want to sharpen your appreciation of the range of one of the most jazz conscious societies in Europe.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
Caprice 22067 (4CD Set)
Feauturing : Work & Leisure, Georg Riedel, Radiojazz Group, Takt & Ton, Coastal Band, Sten Öberg Kvintett, Staffan Hard, Sevda, Nils Sandström, Mount Everest, Roberg Malmberg, Red Mitchell, Putte Wickman, Wallgrens Orchestra, Janne Schaffer, Rena Rama, Bernt Rosengrens Quartet, Nannie Porres, Appendix, Umeå Big Band, Alice Babs, Nils Lindberg, Gugge Hedrenius Big Blues Band, Jan Garbarek, Bobo Stenson Quartet, Lasse Werner and His Friends, Gothenburg Music Quartet, Björn Alkes Quartet, Solar Plexus, Mount Everest, Åke Johansson Trio, Monica Zetterlund, Steve Kuhn, Eje Thelin Group, Iskra, Ann Kristin Hedmark & Sandvik Big Band, The Spear Range, The Grain, The Music Group October, Lars Gullin, Urban Hansson & Emphasis on Jazz, Opposite Corner, Witch Milk, Egba, Pulse, Bengt Hallberg, Bent Persson, Sansara Music Band, Lennart Åberg Orchestra, Okay Temiz & Oriental Wind, Sture Nordin Sextet, Angel Games, Monica Dominique, Erik Norström, Nexus, Christer Boustedt Quintet, Mwendo Dawa, Waves, Mamba, Su mpens Swingsters, Saxes Galore, Per Henrik Wallin Trio, Lokomotiv Konkret, Peter Gullin, Tintomara
Stan Getz’s foray into Sweden in the 1950s was one of the first indications to many of us that jazz had penetrated that far north. How wrong we were! Jazz had been there from the beginning. Louis Armstrong, Albert Ayler, Cecil Taylor, Charlie Parker, Ornette Coleman were received with warmth and acclaim. We realised that vocalists such as Alice Babs and Monica Zetterlund and instrumentalists such as Bengt Hallberg and Lars Gullin ranked high in the jazz world internationally. This volume of Swedish jazz history, the eleventh, covers the years 1970 -1979. The volume has four CDs showing the vast influences that have impacted on Swedish jazz. This was a period when jazz shifted with new forms of improvisations, influences from cultural shifts, rock music and the avant-garde. The nearly 200-page booklet accompanying the CDs includes an essay by Stuart Nicholson and profiles of Lennart Aberg and Monica Dominique.
The four CDs cover a period of time each: 1970 – 1973; 1973 – 1975; 1976 – 1977; 1978 – 1979. (72 tracks in total).
Samplers like this are intent on providing a complete picture of a complex scene. The occasional track might inspire you to follow one musician further. However, this comprehensive picture might have been better arranged in genres rather than time periods.
The Swedish Jazz Group on the first CD has Rolf Ericson in the trumpet section and Arne Domnerus on alto playing a piece by Georg Riedel. The vigorous piece with Sabu Martinez on conga seems to betray the influence of George Russell. Variety is provided by the fluent abstract guitar playing of Steffan Harde. Steffan sounds completely himself. The track was recorded at his home in 1971. A mysterious figure who recorded one album and disappointed by his lack of recognition did not record again. His individuality has since been recognised but too late. One fascinating story.
The second CD opens with the Umea Big Band playing ‘Love for Sale’ using the Buddy Rich arrangement. The guest soloist is Benny Bailey. It seems to show that Swedes can copy conventional big band sounds as well as anybody. Similarly, Alice Babs, who was admired by Ellington, is featured on a piece from an Ellington concert on the Duke’s final European tour. Jan Garbarek and Bobo Stenson are featured playing ‘Witchi-Tai-To’. Hearing those three pieces in quick succession reveals the variety and indigestibility of selections like this. The group Mount Everest play homage to Albert Ayler as they play ‘Spirits’ with all the verve and passion that Ayler showed on his brief stay in the country.
Part of Lars Gullin’s suite called ‘The Aching Heart of An Oak’ opens the third disc and it enables us to hear the beautiful rich sound of Gullin’s baritone. Bent Persson and Ulf Johansson show that the influence of Louis Armstrong was still potent in Sweden as they expertly play ‘High Society’.
‘Swedish Love in the Southern Bronx Part 1’ opens the fourth CD. Written by Monica Dominique the suite is a brassy big band piece. Monica is better known in Sweden than she is in the rest of Europe. Her life story does illustrate the difficulty that women experience in being accepted in Jazz. Someone who is accepted is Carla Bley. The group Nexus play the Carla Bley theme ‘Ida Lupino’ showing how fertile that theme is for improvisation.
This collection is ideal if you want to sharpen your appreciation of the range of one of the most jazz conscious societies in Europe.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
