Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Nina de Heney: Three

3

Nina de Heney: Three

By

Sign in to view read count
Nina de Heney: Three
Three is the third solo double bass recording of by underrated Swedish double bassist Nina de Heney, known for her collaborations with pianists (and fellow countrymen) Sten Sandell and Lisa Ullén. The title refers also to the connection between de Heney, the player ("the dancer behind the bass," as she calls it), the intimate connection with the instrument (her "extended body"), and the room (a "vibrating and dancing entity, guiding the music").

On this double album, de Heney explores different aspects of her instrument through varied extended techniques, all captured beautifully by engineer Johannes Lundberg. She creates a hypnotic repetitive theme with the strings on "Cerebella mill." On "Eeadrum Peak," the bass sounds like a choir of percussive instrument when de Heney uses her bow to hit the strings and her hands to touch the wooden body. "Sang as mojo nuns" unfolds patiently, a dramatic search for a balance between silence and short, resonating, and often percussive sounds.

On the playful "Miracle bell line," de Heney turns the bass into a sophisticated version of the Brazilian single-string percussion instrument, the berimbau. "Karma deer up" is a brilliant exploration of multiphonics. through decisive arco playing that makes the bass sound like a few string instruments. On "Rev dong lick," she pushes the bass into otherworldly sonic terrain with radical usage of the bow. The methodical and gentle use of arco as a percussive element on "Brilliance ell" suggests a melodic line; "Crab lime line" goes even further, resembling a fiery, flamenco piece, while the emotional closer, "Label recline," with its repetitive soft touches of bow on strings, sounds like a farewell lullaby.

De Heney's rich imagination, fast instincts, assured and distinctive command of the bass and total surrender to the moment of improvisation are explored best on the longer free improvisations such as "Liberal Cell: Mine" and "Drama peruke." On these improvisations, she struggles with the bass and caresses it, turning it into a sensual body with her passionate and intuitive playing. These masterful improvisations put de Heney in a league of her own in the elite of solo double bass improvisers such as Joëlle Léandre, Barry Guy, Mark Dresser and Barre Phillips.

A brilliant achievement by a highly unique player.

Track Listing

CD1: Cerebella mill; Eeadrum Peak; Liberal Cell: Mine; Sang as mojo nuns; Miracle bell line; Karma deer up. CD2: Drama peruke; Rev dong lick; Brilliance ell; Crab lime line; Label recline.

Personnel

Nina de Heney
bass, acoustic

Nina De Heney: double bass.

Album information

Title: Three | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: Found You Recordings

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create 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.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve 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.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.