Torben Snekkestad / Soren Kjaegaard / Tomo Jacobson: Spirit Spirit

"I love the illusive, enigmatic nature of this material. Being in that space can perhaps leave the listener with the only obvious choice of just listening to what is rather than understanding any of it." Tomo Jacobson

Polish-born, Copenhagen-based bassist Tomo Jacobson embraces a minimalist mode on his Spirit Spirit. The cover art is a looping line drawing on white; the music is spacious and calm, every note selected in the moment, with seeming great deliberation—although improvisation, by definition, does not invite the concept of deliberation. But it is there, a first-rate trio applying their collective craftsmanship which comes out from the long-term musical backgrounds, with Jacobson on bass, along with pianist Soreen Kjeargaard and saxophonist Torben Snekkestad.

The musical trip sounds like three sojourners on a trip through a stark landscape—a desert, or a flat expanse of snow—on a slow slalom course, paths crossing then veering off on individual but roughly parallel paths to the destination, wherever that is, and if a destination exists at all. But maybe there is no destination; maybe it is the journey that reigns.

Bass and saxophone explore much in the way of extended techniques—groans and howls, scratchings and hisses, percussive (outside of the piano) coming from perhaps a hand hitting the wood of the bass, in a spirited trip through nine segments followed by an epilogue. The piano finds glissandi and flattened thuds and delicate tinklings.

Spirit Spirit as a suite is best listened to from start to finish. The sounds could be considered stark and formless taken in small bites—that is often the way with the avant-garde. But a concentrated listen will reveal much beauty, and indeed many forms. Improvisation from masters creates form and beauty from nothing. It happens here.

This patiently-created, in-the-moment music requires patience on the listeners' part—patience repaid on Spirit Spirit. Just listen.