Lars Danielsson Liberetto: Echomyr

The Lars Danielsson Liberetto ensemble has assembled a distinctive body of work over its four previous albums. That development and continuity derive from his core partners for over 15 years, drummer Magnus Ostrom (Esbjorn Svensson Trio) and UK guitarist John Parricelli. They were joined in 2017 by Martinican pianist Grégory Privat, who replaced original member Tigran Hamasyan).

With Echomyr, bassist Danielsson continues to carve out a singular musical path, drawing on his classical roots and folk-influenced melodic ideas as a platform for jazz explorations. His consummate use of space allows him to make a complex melody feel effortless and inevitable. Across 10 tracks, his compositions show his focus on melody and his attention to detail. He explains, "It's not difficult to write complicated music. But writing music that people will understand and that nevertheless has personality and depth—that's my goal."

Danielsson studied at the Music Conservatory in Gothenburg, where cello was his primary instrument, and it is on cello that he opens Echomyr with the quiet, unhurried invitation of "Pre." The piece flows naturally into "Allan," where his lyrical bass vibrato carries a buoyant, uplifting melody with guitar and piano contributions blending over a vibrant, rhythmic groove.

Longtime collaborator, trumpeter Arve Henriksen, has appeared as part of the band on three Liberetto releases. He joins the quartet for "Supreme," bringing a spiritual jazz element to the track. He also features on "Himlen Över Dig," weaving his classy, reflective tones with Parricelli's guitar lines.

The album title itself is an invented word. As Danielsson explains, "The 'echo' part describes an expansive field where sound resonates and 'myr' is an old Norse word for moor. These are sounds from the depths, from deep within oneself. Especially now, we are asking ourselves what it is that makes each of us human and unique. And that is what I have been searching throughout my whole life as a musician: not simply to copy things that already exist, but to find something that comes from my own heart and from within myself." The title track reflects that introspective spirit, its deceptively weighty groove underpinning a cyclical, bittersweet melody and featuring excellent work from Privat.

Selecting highlights from the remainder of the album is something of a fool's errand—though an enjoyable one. "Glór" mixes classical influences with Scandinavian folk elements; Parricelli and Privat are superb as they build towards moments of swirling, folk dance energy propelled by Öström's driving rhythm. Danielsson shines on "Sensitiva," while the cyclical melody of "Presto," which began as an idea for cello and string orchestra, offers nimble progressions delivered with a deceptive lightness of touch.

The album closes with "Something She Said." With only Parricelli for company, Danielsson moves to piano for this piece, later adding gimbri, a three-stringed Moroccan lute, to deepen its tonal palette.

The album is a triumph of immersive interplay with a beautifully expressed musical landscape that captivates throughout. Danielsson's collaborators form a world-class ensemble, bringing edge, spirit and constantly shifting melodic character to music that marks out their territory at the forefront of melody-driven improvisation.