Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Mats Gustafsson/David Stacken: Mountain Blues From Sweden

Mats Gustafsson/David Stacken: Mountain Blues From Sweden

By Mark Corroto
November 7, 2005
View read count

Mats Gustafsson/David Stacken: Mountain Blues From Sweden

Remember Eva from Jim Jarmusch's first feature film Stranger Than Paradise? She, a thick-accented Eastern European, was fixated on the American bluesman Screamin' Jay Hawkins. Her out of character declarations to "bug off so she can dig the tune "I Put A Spell On You was so unnatural, you knew this film was never planning to retain any sort of balance.

Same can be said for the Swedish duo of saxophonist Mats Gustafsson and guitarist David Stackenäs. Their take on the "blues" is akin to an American ordering spaghetti with peanut sauce.

Ken Vandermark's liner notes essay the musical differences between European and American jazzmen, and the recording demonstrates the same. The divide here is not the "blues." This is not a blues record. Gustafsson and Stackenäs favor instant composition and space. Swing is replaced with swonk (and honk!). Mats Gustafsson does what he does best. The saxophonist sticks with his baritone horn here, as he did on the 2004 disc Catapult. The baritone allows a more intimate reaction to Stackenäs' guitar.

Tones and space replace swing and rhythm. Did I mention this is not a blues record? Stackenäs, an accomplished free jazz guitarist, has digested Derek Bailey and Fred Frith and speaks their tongue with a Swedish accent. He adds tension, vibrations, and daring runs of energy playing. On "Bumble Bee Blues he touches on a bit of slide-guitar blues before rocketing into the deconstructed future. Ah, they are just playing with us! Gustafsson applies his high-end jabs and vocalizations, steering your mind farther and farther from the crossroads.

Okay, so I'm still hung up on the titles here. You need not be, and this is quite an enjoyable set of free improvisation.

Track Listing

Shave

Personnel

Mats Gustafsson

woodwinds

Mats Gustafsson: baritone saxophone; David Stacken

Album information

Title: Mountain Blues From Sweden | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: Atavistic Worldwide

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Keystone
< Previous

This Love of Mine
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.