Jazz Articles about Thomas Backman

About Thomas Backman

Album Review

Ilaria Capalbo: The Brightest Sun

Read "The Brightest Sun" reviewed by Ian Patterson

by Ian Patterson
August 31, 2026

"Look at the darkness," penned Lebanese-American poet Khalil Gibran, “giving birth to the sun." The arrival of a firstborn child also gives birth to the mother, who did not exist before. For Stockholm-based bassist-composer Ilaria Capalbo the profound experience of motherhood triggered a musical response of significant measure. Whereas her impressive debut, Karthago (Bluenord Records, 2022) was a predominantly acoustic affair, The Brightest Sun sees the Neapolitan introduce a little more electricity via bass guitar and pedal effects. Sparingly used, ...

Album Review

Ilaria Capalbo: Karthago

Read "Karthago" reviewed by Emmanuel Di Tommaso

by Emmanuel Di Tommaso
February 23, 2022

Nell'epoca dell'accelerazione permanente in cui ogni idea deve essere smart e leggera affinché possa cogliere in pochi secondi la fragile attenzione di un pubblico stordito da infinite ondate di suoni, di immagini e di notizie, soltanto gli artisti dotati di una propria voce autentica possono avere il coraggio di dare vita a opere concettuali che richiedono (e meritano) tempo e attenzione, e che sono fondate sul desiderio di condividere emozioni e significati profondi. È sicuramente un'opera di questo ...

Album Review

Ilaria Capalbo: Karthago

Read "Karthago" reviewed by Ian Patterson

by Ian Patterson
February 16, 2022

For her debut as leader, bassist Ilaria Capalbo takes as her muse the ancient city-state of Carthage, the former Mediterranean powerhouse, in what is today modern Tunisia. Repeatedly sacked by a series of invaders, Carthage's colorful history, and its near mythical figurehead, queen Alyssia (or Dido), has inspired writers, poets and composers since Roman times. It is a bold canvas on which to inscribe musical notation, particularly for a debut, but the Stockholm-based Italian's writing for this lithe quintet, full ...

Album Review

Ilaria Capalbo: Karthago

by Chris May
January 15, 2022

Bassist and composer Ilaria Capalbo was born and brought up in Italy but spends much of her time in Sweden, where she recorded Karthago and assembled the band which performs on it. It is always a joy to encounter for the first time a musician who sounds so fresh and original and whose music is such a delight. Ciao, Capalbo. Karthago was inspired by the ancient city of Carthage, which during the age of the Roman Empire ...

Album Review

Viktor Skokic Sextett: Basement Music

Read "Basement Music" reviewed by Mark Corroto

by Mark Corroto
May 15, 2020

Basement Music, the title of bassist Viktor Skokic's premiere as a band leader, refers not to the social isolation of the 2020 global pandemic, but to the sites of his compositional efforts. Written in his basement, and recorded prior to the lockdown, the music is actually the converse of social distancing—'converse' as in conversation. His 'Sextett' navigates some precarious and complicated directions, such as the album's opener “Tre." Constructed as a puzzle with odd-shaped pieces, the music favors sharp turns, ...

Album Review

Led: The Ocean

by AAJ Italy Staff
December 19, 2012

Kopasetic Productions è una piccola ma vitale label svedese specializzata in jazz e musica improvvisativa. Fondata nel 2003 dai membri del Cennet Jönsson Quartet e del Plunge Trio, questa etichetta di musicisti ha finora realizzato una quarantina di album che danno conto dell'estrema vitalità di una scena che ingloba nomi già abbastanza noti per chi bazzica le sponde del jazz scandinavo come il trio Footloose, l'Aorta Ensemble del chitarrista Anders Nillsson o i Meloscope. Tra i più recenti ingressi nella ...