THOMAS DAHL & COURT - Quilter
Losen: LOS212-2
Thomas T Dahl: guitar; Harmen Fraanje: piano; Magne Thormodsaeter: bass; Hakon Mjaset Johansen: drums
Recorded 23rd and 24th May 2017 by Davide Bertollini at St. Jacob’s Kirke, Bergen, Norway.
Thomas Dahl has been recording since the mid-90s, honing a distinctive sound from a solid body Fender in a variety of settings. In this set, he works with a rhythm section to create contemporary guitar jazz that mixes ballads with excursions into more avant-garde territory. The opening track, ‘Hermit’, has a very simple, six-note walking bass figure that repeats throughout the track. Hesitant, soft piano, effect-laden guitar and what sounds like scrapped or bowed cymbals then become interspersed as the tension gradually builds. Then Dahl’s full-toned guitar weaves around, while still retaining the atmospherics. The next track, ‘A wall’, has a more clearly defined tune and chord sequence, introduced by the piano, and around which an impressive guitar solo builds. One of the interesting aspects of this set is that way that Fraanje’s piano works sedate chord sequences to introduce the themes of each piece for Dahl’s rich guitar work to elaborate. In contrast, Fraanje plays some vibrant post-bop solos on ‘Rad 3310’, track 6, with Dahl using sustain and effects pedal to provide a drawn-out notes to colour this. The quartet master both styles of playing and, while this set favours an approach that focuses on ballads, they can also push into more experimental regions. Overall, a really accomplished set that showcases Dahl’s lyrical guitar playing.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
Losen: LOS212-2
Thomas T Dahl: guitar; Harmen Fraanje: piano; Magne Thormodsaeter: bass; Hakon Mjaset Johansen: drums
Recorded 23rd and 24th May 2017 by Davide Bertollini at St. Jacob’s Kirke, Bergen, Norway.
Thomas Dahl has been recording since the mid-90s, honing a distinctive sound from a solid body Fender in a variety of settings. In this set, he works with a rhythm section to create contemporary guitar jazz that mixes ballads with excursions into more avant-garde territory. The opening track, ‘Hermit’, has a very simple, six-note walking bass figure that repeats throughout the track. Hesitant, soft piano, effect-laden guitar and what sounds like scrapped or bowed cymbals then become interspersed as the tension gradually builds. Then Dahl’s full-toned guitar weaves around, while still retaining the atmospherics. The next track, ‘A wall’, has a more clearly defined tune and chord sequence, introduced by the piano, and around which an impressive guitar solo builds. One of the interesting aspects of this set is that way that Fraanje’s piano works sedate chord sequences to introduce the themes of each piece for Dahl’s rich guitar work to elaborate. In contrast, Fraanje plays some vibrant post-bop solos on ‘Rad 3310’, track 6, with Dahl using sustain and effects pedal to provide a drawn-out notes to colour this. The quartet master both styles of playing and, while this set favours an approach that focuses on ballads, they can also push into more experimental regions. Overall, a really accomplished set that showcases Dahl’s lyrical guitar playing.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
