Anders Jormin: Xieyi

Expressing his innermost thoughts through a brass choir for six selections and working a cappella for the other eleven, bassist Anders Jormin interprets classical music and introspective originals with flair on Xieyi. The album's title is a Chinese term that implies freedom of expression. Jormin takes this opportunity to express from the heart what he feels and carries with him. They're songs from folklore, songs from known composers, and songs from Jormin's expressive pen.

As he interprets traditional hymns alone with the bowed bass, Jormin brings a lyrical quality to his work that remains both sensual and universal. When applying pizzicato techniques to explore, he grabs each opportunity gracefully and handles each with delicate care. Jormin prefers a rubato setting where he has the freedom to express delicate ideas clearly without concern for meter. His bass resonates with a vocal-like spirit that issues warmly with subtle passion.

Each solo bass piece moves deliberately with heartfelt expression. Jormin climbs and cascades with fluid motion. The folkloric nature of his compositions cannot be overlooked. Much of his work is filled with graceful themes that sing like a lullaby or a hymn. Even free pieces, such as Ornette Coleman's "War Orphans," send the bassist on a journey that allows him to explore the music of his homeland and the folk music that surrounds all of us. The result is a lovely solo performance that communicates in the universal language with lovely lyrical refrains assembled naturally.