Kresten Osgood Quintet: Live At H15 Studio

For a reader of contemporary fiction, sometimes you wade through some fine literature with skillful writing by authors who have honed their craft but have failed to give you a plot. Then, some books tell stories that seize your imagination. You can't put them down. There is a parallel occurrence in modern jazz. There are virtuous composers and musicians, but their technical skills produce no storyline you want to return to. This live recording by drummer Kresten Osgood's quintet has both musicianship and a galvanizing plot. With a decade of experience, this working group performed for three nights during the Copenhagen Jazz Festival in 2023, producing 42 tracks from their book, pared down to these ten gems. Osgood, together with trumpeter Erik Kimestad, saxophonist Mads Egetoft, pianist Jeppe Zeeberg, and bassist Matthias Petri document the electrifying experience of their performances. The music is part of original compositions by contemporary composers and some classic tracks by jazz giants. Opening with the deep funk of Kirk Knuffke's march "Subway," the quintet elicits screams of delight from the crowd as the heavy pulse jolts the ear. The high-wire circus act of "The Halley's Comet Light Blue Blues" is followed by a cover of Elmo Hope's "Boa," a tricky and quicksilver bebop gem. Egetoft picks up a baritone saxophone for Osgood's ballad "Gilbert's Mood" trading off with Kimestad's trumpet. Hope, a pianist almost lost to history, is also featured on "Stars Over Marrakech," a twisting interlace of changing rhythms. Osgood has an ear for crowd-pleasing music. Clifford Jordan's "Blues For Muse," features Zeeberg's piano-guided tour of the instrument's jazz and blues history. This quintet tells a compelling story, a real page-turner.