artist : Jan Lundgren Trio
title : European Standards
label : ACT
cat# : ACT94822
genre : Jazz
street date : 2009-04-24
tracks : 13
bitrate : 189 kbps avg. 44.1/Joint Stereo
size : 83.65 mb
source : CD
type : Retail
url : http://www.janlundgren.com
________________________________________________________________________________
Pianist Jan Lundgren has always been good for a surprise, beginning with
his decision to opt for a career playing the piano û at the time he was
considered to be one of SwedenÆs most promising young tennis prospects.
Lundgren was already aged twenty and had spent years aiming towards a
career in classical music before he more or less accidentally discovered
his love of jazz; he methodically re-shaped his studies at the renowned
College of Music in Malm÷, and then began his first forays as a
professional musician. He immersed himself in the Great American Songbook,
as scarcely any other European players before him had done so. The
influence of piano greats ranging from Erroll Garner and Bill Evans on
through to Oscar Peterson and Bud Powell can be heard on LundgrenÆs first
albums, which came out in rapid succession between 1994 and 1996.
It was even more surprising when in 1997 Lundgren came out with his CD
Swedish Standards, an incredibly atmospheric and tasteful reworking of the
rich Swedish folklore tradition û and this was long before many other jazz
musicians followed the paradigm shift towards world-music, discovering
along the way their own native folk music roots. The album was a
sensational success in Sweden; it received a whole slew of awards (among
them ôBest Jazz CD Of The Yearö), and even stormed its way up the pop
charts.
But its status as a milestone in the history of Swedish jazz is only one
reason why ACT is re-issuing Swedish Standards (ACT 9022-2). Another is
that the album partly documents the beginning of LundgrenÆs fascinating
musical journey that includes the Mediterranean world of sound û with
Paolo Fresu and Richard Galliano on Mare Nostrum (ACT 9466-2), and a trip
back to the music of the Renaissance û Magnum Mysterium (ACT 9457-2). Most
importantly, it is the jumping off point for LundgrenÆs newest work that û
how could it be otherwise û is poised to spring some more surprises.
European Standards represents the logical next step, a trip through ten
European countries, from the German-speaking to the Romanic language
countries on through to the Slavic lands. Each one is represented by a
ôtypicalö song from that countryÆs tradition, some very popular, others
virtually unknown. Now they are no longer typical just in terms of folk
music, but also almost in the sense of a historical mindset. For instance,
Austria is represented by a classic Viennese song (äWien, Du Stadt Meiner
TrΣumeô). Alongside Kurt WeillÆs ôSeptember Songö, which he wrote after
his move to America, Germany is represented by the idiosyncratic German
electronic pop pioneer Kraftwerk and their ôComputer Liebeö.
With Michel LegrandÆs äLe Moulin De Mon C£urô and Francis LaiÆs äUn Homme
Et Une Femmeô one instantly thinks of France, just as with the BeatlesÆ
song ôHere, There And Everywhereö, the reflection is of Great Britain. By
contrast, the title track from Roman PolanskiÆs ôRosemaryÆs Babyö is an
off-beat choice. Yet even this Hollywood movie music quickly leads one to
its land of origin. Lundgren explains that, ôthe composer Kzysztof Komeda
is Polish, and I think that his background inevitably shows up in the
musicö.
At any rate, Lundgren didnÆt make it easy for himself on European
Standards. Lundgren recounts that, ôwe listened to and researched an
incredible amount of music. We already had some of the songs in mind, but
we were totally unfamiliar with others before we started the project. The
Swiss song æStets I TruureÆ was recommended to us by a friend. It was the
same with the Spanish song æYo Vivo EnamoraoÆ.ö It was both logical and
courageous for Lundgren to chose an Esbj÷rn Svensson composition to
represent his Swedish homeland. As a concluding piano solo, äPavane û
Thoughts Of A Septuagenarianô is a gripping homage to his friend and
colleague who recently so tragically died.
It is not just the convincing and surprising repertoire that makes this
project stand out from other similar set ups; above all it is LundgrenÆs
amazing ability to masterfully shape the original material û material that
couldnÆt be more diverse û into a homogeneous, perfectly flowing, coherent
album. Over the years his personal style has become unmistakeable, an
economical, feather-light, and yet thematically expansive way of playing
that reshapes the various constituent elements in a ingeniously original
manner. He is ideally complimented here by the likewise lyrically
grounded, constantly driving rhythmic play of his two companions, Mattias
Svensson on bass and Zoltan Cs÷rsz Jr. on drums.
Why didnÆt Lundgren once again assemble a European all-star group as he
had with Mare Nostrum? He explains that ôthis is a band project. We spent
many many hours together fine-tuning, rehearsing, and playingö. His friend
from his student days, Mattias Svensson, who had already recorded several
albums with Lundgren, was clearly the right choice. Just as was
32-year-old Cs÷rsz, who likewise studied at SwedenÆs Malm÷ Academy of
Music. Cs÷rsz was a child prodigy in his former Hungarian homeland, and
thanks to his musical flexibility and class (as member of the popular
progressive rock band ôFlower Kings, for instance), he is one of
ScandinaviaÆs most sought-after drummers.
The trio is so perfectly attuned that the listener (and perhaps this is
the biggest possible compliment for such a project) does not hear how
difficult it was to put this music together. At any rate, Jan Lundgren has
once again come up with an especially enjoyable album. But then coming
from him, perhaps this isnÆt much of a surprise.
http://www.actmusic.com
________________________________________________________________________________
01 Computer Liebe 5:15
02 Les Moulins De Mon Coeur 4:47
03 Here, There And Everywhere 4:11
04 A Csitari Hegyek Alatt 4:11
05 Stets I Truure 4:42
06 Yo Vivo Enamorao 3:44
07 Un Homme Et Une Femme 5:02
08 Reginella 5:24
09 Il Postino 4:18
10 September Song 4:29
11 Rosemary's Baby 5:33
12 Wien, Du Stadt Meiner TrΣume 4:47
13 Pavane - Thoughts Of A Septuagenarian 4:58
-----
61:21