ORD: Hemligheter på vägen

Drawing inspiration from Tomas Tranströmer, one of the giants of Scandinavian poetry, Swedish pianist Karin Johansson and her quintet ORD have forged a memorable and distinctive musical document. Named after one of Tranströmer's poems, Hemligheter på Vägen ("Secrets on the Way") sketches an evocative, often mysterious, but eminently engaging sound portrait that is as elusive as it is absorbing.

Tranströmer has been feted by jazz musicians before—perhaps most notably by Jan Garbarek on It's OK to Listen to the Gray Voice (ECM, 1985). His poetry is renowned for having the appearance of simplicity, but with layers of depth and meaning that reveal themselves upon successive encounters. And in this sense, Johansson is an ideal musical interpreter of Tranströmer, for the starkness of her themes renders them instantly graspable—yet the arrangements are so nuanced and subtly crafted that repeated listenings are amply rewarded.

Johansson is a talented pianist, but here she maintains an understated presence, in order to make room for skilled vocalist Jenny Willén, who sometimes offers merely a whisper or wordless singing, as on "April Och Tystnad," but on other pieces conveys the lyrics with a folklike directness ("So Matt du Sovit Länge"). Johansson's fellow instrumentalists are just as vital. Bassist Hasse Westling often uses arco technique to provide a moody foundation for the pieces, perfect in complementing Johansson's searching melodic figures; and trombonist Niclas Rydh and bass clarinetist/tenor saxophonist Gunnel Samuelsson contribute vibrant solo statements as well as more abstract gestures that enhance the palpable atmosphere of the music. Johansson has a few creative tricks up her own sleeve as well, as we hear in her use of prepared piano toward the close of the album's title track, where she constructs an unsettled soundscape alongside the free musings of her partners.

Aside from "Blind Fear" and "Just a Second from Now," both of which feature Johansson's lyrics in English, the album presents Tranströmer's poetry in its original Swedish, possibly presenting an obstacle in the way of appreciating its beauty fully. But fortunately, Johansson's artistry contains more than enough wonder and lyricism of its own to make up for it—and it seems inevitable that many listeners will be led to undertake a deeper dive into Tranströmer's work, given the exquisite treatment offered by Johansson on this splendid album.

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