1. In a Pensive Place
2. Days of Wine and Roses
3. I Love You
4. Wonderyear
5. My Funny Valentine
6. The Prowlers
7. Sunny
8. On Green Dolphin Street
Peter Asplund – Trumpet, flugel
Jacob Karlzon – Piano
Hans Andersson – Bass
Johan Lofcrantz Ramsay – Drums
Looking at the cover, I thought
"I’m going to enjoy this one", but no such
luck. It’s another record of musicians who
have all the technique in the world, trying
to be too clever. Henry Mancini liked his
tunes played in the way he wrote them, so
he would have had no chance with the Days
of Wine and Roses! I Love You starts
with an extended intro from bass and drums
that at least swings, but do we get a theme
statement of this terrific tune? - no. Mr
Asplund gives us his interpretation of it,
which is nowhere near as good as the original.
On My Funny Valentine
we get a beautiful theme statement of this
Richard Rodgers classic, demonstrating just
what a fine bunch of musicians Peter Asplund
and his Quartet are. So why do they have to
try to be so clever and play most tunes in
a way that does not swing and is hard to understand?
Another good track is Peter’s
original composition The Prowlers.
The rhythm section swings here and Peter plays
an excellent solo. This track demonstrates
for me what fine musicians these guys are,
but why do they have to be too clever for
their own or anybody else’s good at times?
On Green Dolphin Street
gets a similar working over to I Love You
in the first chorus, but thankfully the second
chorus lets us hear this great standard in
its full pomp.
For me this record is like
the curate's egg, good in parts. The musicians,
however, are out of the top drawer.
Don Mather
CD Reviews
Prophone
PCD093
