LSD: Trio Colossus

The stark, somewhat austere cover art of Trio Colossus, from Swedish saxophonist Fredrik Lindborg's LSD trio, belies the warm, rich music it houses.

The sultry opening bars of "It Ain't Necessarily So" set the mood for this impressive recording, which features four Lindborg originals and carefully chosen pieces by Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn and Swedish composer Rune Wallebom. From the intimate, moody "Psalm" to the closer "Trio Colossus," Lindborg shows surprising maturity in his compositions, and an ardent sense of rhythm.

With two well-received quartet recordings-The General (Imogena, 2006) and The One (Imogena, 2009)-under his belt, Lindborg has grown in strength as a composer and in stature as a musician on the Swedish jazz scene. This year alone, he has been awarded a prestigious grant and has also made an appearance in a feature film about Swedish jazz singer Monica Zetterlund, as the late, great Swedish alto saxophonist/clarinetist Arne Domnerus.

The trio's rendition of Ellington and "Sunset and the Mockingbird" is a highlight of the CD. The silky, brassy Lindborg plays perfectly off bassist Martin Sjöstedt, while drummer Daniel Fredriksson offers a range of accents and framing to a lovely interplay between the bold saxophone and resonant, reassuring bass. This raunchy, hot- blooded take provides a stark contrast to earlier, celebrated versions of the tune by Duke Ellington's Orchestra and pianist Tommy Flanagan.

Sjöstedt-a familiar face on the international jazz scene, brings the experience of having played with saxophonist Joe Lovano and drummers Peter Erskine and Jimmy Cobb to the trio, and the sound is stronger for it. Sjöstedt and Fredriksson offer refined rhythmic support, leaving Lindborg enough room to weave and improvise imaginatively around the melody.

As the album title suggests, the sound and music of Sonny Rollins are present throughout this recording, and his strolling, piano-less group work is an unmistakable influence on the sound of LSD. This tight collection of tunes is skillfully performed by a fluid, mutually supportive triumvirate of talented young musicians and is a pleasure from start to finish.

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