Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » The Beginners: Two Years Later

2

The Beginners: Two Years Later

By

Sign in to view read count
The Beginners: Two Years Later
The band's name is a typical piece of shy Swedish understatement. Its two leaders, guitarist Erik Söderlind and saxophonist Andreas Gidlund, are anything but beginners; they have a great deal of experience on the local jazz scene.

Söderlind has attracted attention for his collaborations with veteran keyboards player Kjell Öhman and his studio work. Gidlund led soul singer Jennifer Brown's backing band and has played with the likes of guitarist Ulf Wakenius and saxophonist Scott Hamilton. Neither can pianist Martin Sjöstedt be labelled a novice, having accompanied such names as saxophonist Joe Lovano, trumpeter Randy Breckerand composer/arranger Jim McNeely, not to mention singers Rigmor Gustafsson and Viktoria Tolstoy.

The album marks the second anniversary of the day Söderlind and Gidlund met and decided to put together a band. They recruited a rhythm section and began to meet regularly for practice sessions in a cellar in the Skanstull area of Stockholm.

All the numbers are originals. There are five by Gidlund and four by Söderlind: all straight ahead, post-bop, riff-based jazz, nothing too way out.

Proceedings kick off with Gidlund's up-tempo "Skanstull Serenade," featuring some fine guitar from Söderlind. He plays in the Wes Montgomery/George Benson tradition, but now that he's escaped from the guitar/Hammond organ formula of his previous recordings, his own personality starts to come to the fore.

Although influenced by John Coltrane, Gidlund avoids the tenor icon's experimental excess, notably on "Waltz for Maggie," which also features a meaty solo by Sjöstedt, before bassist Kristian Lind is given a chance to shine—but doesn't.

"Fyra" ("four" in Swedish) is by Söderlind and, with drummer Chris Montgomery prominent throughout, recalls the heyday of drummer Art Blakey and the The Jazz Messengers. "Soda's Dream" is bluesy, with an excellent bass solo by Lind, far more interesting than his previous effort.

"Södermalm Runt" is Gidlund's tribute to Stockholm's once working class south island which has moved rapidly up-market in recent years. The Beginners' theme song, also written by him, ends inconclusively during a Sjöstedt solo.

Then there's "Deux Ans Après," the short but lyrical title song, for some reason. in French. A more exact translation would be "Deux Ans Plus Tard." Gidlund winds things up with some breathy blowing reminiscent of the late, great Ben Webster.

An excellent album and one that puts paid to the myth that melancholia is a necessary ingredient of Nordic jazz.

Track Listing

Skanstull Serenade; Waltz For Maggie; Fyra; Soda's Dream; Södermalm Runt; The Beginners; As Usual; Blues For Keith; Deux Ans Après.

Personnel

Erik Söderlind: guitar; Andreas Gidlund: soprano and tenor saxophones; Martin Sjöstedt: piano; Kristian Lind: bass; Chris Montgomery: drums.

Album information

Title: Two Years Later | Year Released: 2013 | Record Label: Prophone Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter 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.
View events near Stockholm
Jazz Near Stockholm
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.