Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Per Sjodin: Gentle Thoughts

Per Sjodin: Gentle Thoughts

By Jerry D'Souza
May 27, 2006
Sign in to view read count

Swedish guitarist Per Sjödin slips into mainstream jazz with measured grace and a pocketful of soul. His regular band is a trio with Danish organist Kjeld Lauritsen, whom he met on a gig, and Swedish drummer Zoltan Csörsz, Jr. On this debut recording, Sjödin has astutely added Mårten Lundgren (trumpet) and Magnus Lindgren (tenor) on four of the tracks to extend the impact of the compositions. Sjödin's writing strongly asserts melody, and his playing is juicy and ripe, nourished by the dip into the music and enhanced by texture.

Sjödin pays tribute to one of his heroes, Horace Silver, on "Silverado. The theme bounces from his guitar, then the focus shifts to Lindgren, who carries it into bop domain on tenor. The tune settles in this territory, and Lundgren carves a niche on the trumpet. Sjödin pays tribute to another inspiration, John Coltrane, on the whipcord "Mr. JC. The tension and groove of the twelve-bar blues are both elevated by the level of heated energy Sjödin sets in motion.

The leader also explores his softer side, with artistry and a firm grasp of the vocabulary, in a solo version of the standard "My One and Only Love. The band enriches the euphonic "After the Summer Rain, where Sjödin is nimble and articulate, rarely digressing from the melodic core. Lauritsen uses the rich tonality of the Hamond B3 to extend the sonic screen.

Visit Per Sjödin on the web.

Track Listing

Gentle Thoughts; A Casual Acquaintance; Silverado; After the Summer Rain; Make Me a Pallet on the Floor; My One and Only Love; If I Should Lose you; Mr. JC.

Personnel

Per Sjodin

Per Sj

Album information

Title: Gentle Thoughts | Year Released: 2006 | Record Label: Lovestreet Records

< Previous
Bebop Bassoon

Next >
Zodiac Suite: Revisited

Comments

About Per Sjodin

Tags

For the Love of Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help

To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.