Ulf Wakenius: Momento Magico

Momento Magico is a solo outing from Swedish guitarist Ulf Wakenius, an exploration of three acoustic instruments—steel and nylon strung guitars and acoustic bass guitar. Wakenius undertakes this exploration across a mix of self-penned tunes and works by writers as varied as Erik Satie, Charles Trenet and Sixto Rodrigues.

Wakenius is an impressively adaptable player, who's resumé includes work with Ray Brown, Youn Sun Nah and, most famously, Oscar Peterson (The OP in "Notes For OP And Wes"). He's also the product of many diverse influences, which he acknowledges in his sleeve notes. Malian musicians such as Vieux Farka Toure ("Mali On My Mind"), instruments such as the Chinese pipa ("The Dragon") and "the beauty of France" (Trenet's "La Mer") all receive due credit.

Like many acoustic guitarists, Wakenius has a distinct left-hand squeak when sliding his fingers across the fretboard and there are times, such as on the gentle "Requiem For A Lost Son," when this extraneous noise becomes overly intrusive. It's less of an issue when Wakenius overdubs instruments or performs harder-edged tunes such as "The Dragon" or "Esperanto."

Two of the slower tunes form the high points on Momento Magico. Satie's "Gnossienne" works brilliantly—Wakenius acknowledges the minimalism of the work and creates a slow, graceful, spacious interpretation (which he describes as a "semi-Bossa Nova"). Wakenius' interpretation of Magnus Ostrom's moving "Ballad For E," written in tribute to Östrom's friend and band mate Esbjorn Svensson, is sensitive to the original version and to Svensson's memory.