Articles by James Pearse
HOOB Records: Ten Years Young
by James Pearse
There is something romantic about starting a record label nowadays. With few financial incentives and a whole bunch of work to do to get the record recorded, promoted and distributed, it's a wonder people start records labels it at all. But they do. And many do it very well indeed. Artistic freedom is an oft-cited reason for started a label, especially when those starting the label are artists themselves. Not having to answer to anyone when it comes ...
Continue ReadingHalperin/Nyberg Connection: Snow Tiger
by James Pearse
There is no such thing as a 'snow tiger.' The closest species that exists is the Siberian tiger but they are the same colour as their Indian cousins (white tigers are “circus-bred mutants" according to the BBC). So, you may ask, what does this creature have to do with a cross-generational collaboration between a pioneer of New York's cool jazz scene and three young Scandinavian jazz musicians?The answer lies in Swedish guitarist Pål Nyberg's long-running interest in the ...
Continue ReadingThe Ordinary Square: When in Paris
by James Pearse
When in Paris (Hoob Records, 2015) is a multifaceted album. The complexity of the French capital is explored with a collection of songs that range from sublime to swinging. The nine original compositions by bassist and bandleader Viktor Skokic provide a platform for the members of this intriguing ensemble to engage in energetic interaction with maximum room for spontaneity and whim.Skokic, who surfaced on the trio album Perfectly Still (Footprint, 2014), wrote the music performed here ...
Continue ReadingSarah Riedel: Living Up To Expectations
by James Pearse
The world of jazz is no stranger to the sound of the Swedish language. Alice Babs and Monica Zetterlund--and more recently, Rigmor Gustafsson--are just a few of the names of jazz vocalists hailing from this cold northern country that have reached the ears of US and UK audiences. Some people believe that spoken Swedish sounds “song-like," melodic even, with high and low tones. Unlike English, Swedish has more than one two types of emphasis for different words, which ...
Continue ReadingNils Berg Cinemascope: Vocals
by James Pearse
Swedish reed player Nils Berg scours the online world for unusual and unconventional musical performances to use as a backdrop to his music. He then edits the original down to capture the “essence" of the song and then writes new music on top. Here's where it gets really interesting: the Nils Berg Cinemascope trio then performs the new music live with a YouTube video of the original artist projected as a living backdrop. In this sense, the “guest ...
Continue ReadingOddjob: JAZZOO
by James Pearse
With five diversely themed full-length albums (all Grammy-nominated) under its collective belt, it was anyone's guess as to where Swedish jazz ensemble Oddjob would take its music next. Oddjob's last release Clint (ACT, 2010) saw the quartet rework, reimagine and 'jazzify' classic Western themes by Ennio Morricone, Lalo Schifrin, et al. JAZZOO (Headspin Recordings, 2013) also works on a fairly familiar theme--this time that of jazz for kids--but does it with such gusto and inventiveness that there's something ...
Continue ReadingDavor Kajfeš: Dialogues With Scriabin
by James Pearse
You'd be forgiven for being unfamiliar with the work of Russian composer Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915) or, indeed, Croatian jazz pianist Davor Kajfeš. Sadly neither one has been widely heard outside of their respective--or adopted--countries to date. We can celebrate, then, that the release of Dialogues With Scriabin (Headspin Recordings, 2013) brings the music of these two masters together for the delight of audiences further afield. Pianist, composer and teacher Kajfeš was born in the Croatian capital Zagreb in 1934. While ...
Continue ReadingHarris Eisenstadt: Full Steam Ahead
by James Pearse
As well as three current working (and touring) ensembles, a busy recording schedule and a flourishing teaching career, Toronto, Canada-born percussionist/composer Harris Eisenstadt is also a family man. Now settled in New York City, it's been a busy year, with four recordings-September Trio (Clean Feed, 2011), Canada Day III (Songlines, 2012), Canada Day II (Songlines, 2011), Canada Day Octet (482 Music, 2012)-all released within the last twelve months or so; a release schedule rivaled only by guitarist Bill Frisell and ...
Continue ReadingPeter Knudsen Eight: Sagas Of The Present
by James Pearse
The members of the Peter Knudsen Eight, a dynamic and vibrant group of musicians led by Swedish pianist, composer and bandleader Peter Knudsen, have taken a bold step towards musical maturity with their first large ensemble recording, Sagas Of The Present. Themes as diverse as folk tales, rugged landscapes and the rich musical heritage of the Nordic region are all explored in the seven original compositions on this enjoyable recording.Knudsen has been exploring the ever-decreasing space between jazz ...
Continue ReadingSvenska Kaputt: Svenska Kaputt
by James Pearse
Svenska Kaputt is a hybrid band comprising acclaimed musicians from Stockholm, Sweden's busy jazz and rock scenes. The debut recording, Svenska Kaputt, is a heady brew of jazz exploration (influenced by artists active in the late 1960s) with that of psychedelic and progressive rock (bands from the late 1960s and early 1970s).While saxophonist Jonas Kullhammar and bassist Torbjörn Zetterberg may be familiar to some All About Jazz readers, guitarist Reine Fiske (of Dungen and, more recently, a guest ...
Continue Reading
