Klas Lindquist: Handle With Care

Considered one of "Sweden's most exciting jazz musicians," by the Goteborgs Posten, a major Swedish-language daily newspaper published in Gothenburg, Sweden, Klas Lindquist delivers his fifth album as leader with the intimate and sophisticated Handle with Care. As pianist Champian Fulton states in the liner notes, the album, "Spotlights Klas Lindquist as a soloist with a voice and perspective all his own." She essentially hits the nail on the proverbial head in describing the saxophonist's work on the recording, which is pronounced, powerful and penetrating.

A follow up to his well-received Alternate Source of Energy (Yellow Car Records 2023) with his much-regarded nonet, garnishing the recognition of Sweden's number one jazz album of 2023, it was one of several albums the leader recorded with an ensemble of nine musicians. On this session, Lindquist returns to a smaller intimate format and records with a quartet of fellow countrymen featuring pianist Leo Lindberg guiding a seasoned rhythm section of Niklas Fernqvist and drummer Daniel Fredriksson.

On tap, are only two originals with the majority of the twelve tracks featuring familiar standards from the likes of Duke Ellington, Hoagy Carmichael, Henry Mancini, and Ray Noble among others. The leader's beautiful solos begin on the opening Arthur Johnston/ Sam Coslow classic "My Old Flame," and progress on the oft-recorded Vincent Youmans/Caesar standard "Tea for Two." He treats Ellington's "Prelude to a Kiss" tenderly before presenting his first original, "The Day We Met," peppered with plenty of high notes—a terrific piece of bop.

Perhaps the defining piece of the album is Lindquist's rendition of the Bonnie Lake/Jack Jenney dynamite number "The Man with a Horn," made popular by Lou Donaldson, Eric Alexander and others. This take of the standard must be compared favorably to the others and considered as one of the top versions ever recorded. Pianist Lindberg weighs in quite nicely on the American torch song from Arthur Hamilton, "Cry Me A River," as Lindquist sounds off in accompaniment of his pianist.

The two musicians do it again on "Bernadette" with Lindberg laying down some nice Bill Evans like key work as the saxophonist displays his chops in a call and response moment making this piece of music wonderful to hear. The music slows down a bit on the stylish Carmichael composition "Stardust" for a delicate and mellow take on this familiar standard. Nobel's recognizable melody of "Cherokee" brings out the bassist and drummer in a more pronounced role on the shortest but perkiest tune of the album.

The immortal Henry Mancini standard "The Days of Wine and Roses" is truly another winner with Lindquist and the band, playing off each other in one cohesive manner demonstrating just how good this group truly is. "Sweet Pumkin" and Ellington's spiritual ballad "Come Sunday," brings the music to a graceful finish. What may not be finished, however, is the favorable impression one may have after only one listen to Klas Lindquist's brilliant Handle with Care.