Jazz Articles
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J: Septett
by C. Michael Bailey
Multi-instrumentalist Jóel Pálsson has come into his own over the past five years. A native of Reykjavik, Iceland, Pálsson was a mere 25 years old when he emerged onto the recording scene with his first commercial release, Prím. Fresh out of Berklee, having studied under George Garzone and Bill Pierce, Mr. Pálsson’ freshman effort was characterized by an allegiance to both Ed Bickert and John Abercrombie in that he is both muscular and intelligent in his musical approach, even when ...
Continue ReadingT: K
by C. Michael Bailey
While the physical climes of Iceland may boast the cold and austere, the island’s brand of jazz is anything but, as evidenced by Joel Paalson and his recent fine recordings of progressive contemporary jazz. Now enter bassist Tómas R. Einarsson into this rarified fray. And what does he do it with? Einarsson performs a very smooth and complete brand of Latin Jazz, replete with the provocative percussion and descending piano runs that would make Poncho Sanchez smile. Eythornór Gunnarsson plays ...
Continue ReadingJoel Palsson: Septett
by Dan McClenaghan
For those of us who aren't world travelers, hot jazz out of Iceland might seem unlikely. Or cool jazz for that matter, but saxophonist Joel Palsson's Septett takes a giant step toward putting that North Atlantic island nation on the jazz map.Reed player Joel Palsson studied at the prestigious (for good reason) Berklee College of Music, graduating summa cum laude. He has appeared on over fifty recordings, with Septett being his second outing as a leader. The music ...
Continue ReadingJ: Klif
by AAJ Staff
The members of saxophonist Jóel Pálsson's quartet on Klif share two things in common: first, they're all Icelandic; and second, they all have a profound respect for space. (Apparently island identity and an aversion to density are not mututally exclusive.) The tunes on Klif, all Pálsson originals (except “Serenity," by guitarist Jensson; and “Interlude," an apparent collective improvisation), operate in the middle zone of intensity. They toy with tension, building and releasing small peaks and valleys within a very fluid ...
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