Mats Gustafsson & Craig Taborn

Mats Gustafsson & Craig Taborn: Ljubljana

by Mark Corroto
February 6, 2017

Congratulations to whomever conceived of this pairing of two improvised music giants. Pianist Craig Taborn and saxophonist Mats Gustafsson, both born in the great white north (so to speak), Taborn in Minneapolis and Gustafsson, Umeå, in Northern Sweden. Both are original and distinctive improvisers whose paths had never crossed until the 2015 Ljubljana Jazz Festival. Taborn, of late, has been christened heir to the improvised piano chair of Keith Jarrett by ECM records chief Manfred Eicher. This is ...