Klas Lindquist: alto and soprano saxophone
and clarinet.
Robert Nordmark: tenor saxophone and flute
Fredrik Lindborg: baritone saxophone, clarinet
and bass clarinet
Karl Olandersson: trumpet and flugelhorn
Nils Janson: trumpet
Magnus Wiklund: trombone
Petter Carlsson: piano
Kenji Rabson: acoustic bass
Daniel Fredriksson: drums
1.Simsalabim [6.41]
Soloists: Fredrik Lindborg, baritone saxophone;
Karl Olandersson: trumpet
Suite for Nonet
2.Coolin’ [7.32]
Soloists: Petter Carlson: piano; Nils Janson:
trumpet; Daniel Fredriksson: drums
3.Warm [4.49]
Soloists: Magnus Wiklund: trombone; Klas Lindquist:
alto saxophone
4.Hot [8.47]
Soloists: Fredrik Lindborg, baritone saxophone;
Robert Nordmark: tenor saxophone; Karl Olandersson:
trumpet; Daniel Fredriksson: trumpet
5.Waltz Now [7.03]
Soloist: Klas Lindquist: soprano saxophone
6.Buffy [6.28]
Soloists: Petter Carlsson: piano; Klas Lindquist:
alto saxophone
7.Sweet like You [6.19]
Soloist: Klas Lindquist: clarinet
8.All Systems Go [7.23]
Soloist: Robert Nordmark: tenor saxophone
All compositions by Klas Lindquist.
Total Time 55.02
To produce a CD with every
composition by the leader of the band and
have the leader play the majority of the solos
is brave.
To claim, like so many other
leader/composers that the CD is innovatory
raises the expectancy levels.
The initial impact of the
music is the nice fat feeling of the line-up
with some neat precise ensemble playing that
is particularly good in the riffs and interposed
chords.
Magnus Wiklund’s trombone
solo in track 3, "Warm" is sultry
and luscious and Lindquist gives us very nice
diminuendo on his alto as he recaps the final
solo into the tune.
Track 4, "Hot"
shows off Frederik Lindorg with his baritone
which scoots around in technical delight.
There is an anomaly on the
sleeve where Daniel Fredriksson, (drummer)
is listed as playing the trumpet. Singing
drummers are possible, but are we to believe
that Daniel develops the structure of an octopus,
there is double-tracking, or it is a typographical
error? Whoever plays the trumpet does a good
job and Daniel, or his clone keeps up a solid
driving backing throughout.
Track 5 modifies the Waltz
into something rather more ordinary.
Good Jazz Waltzes are few
and far between. On the sleeve Lindquist says
it is one of his early compositions which,
"we play in a slightly modified version".
The three: four pulse is soon doctored to
duple.
Shame!
Track 6 is like so many other
things I have heard over the years.
Where is this innovation?
Fortunately Petter Carlsson’s
nice dry piano solo which quotes "The
Surrey with the Fringe on Top" and uses
a lot of standard phrases is a piece of good
work.
Linquist plays a pleasant
alto solo and the voicing of the saxes is
refreshing in the final tutti.
Track 7 gives us Lindquist
making some super sounds on his clarinet.
So often clarinets can sound weedy after the
saxes, but this is a listenable example of
something really good. It is also a more memorable
tune than several that have preceded it.
Track 8 closes the session
with a mover. A nifty offset rhythm from bass
and drums showcases Robert Nordmark’s tenor.
Had this CD not presented
itself as being, "Tradition in Transition"
and had it contained perhaps one old standard,
not written by the leader but cleverly arranged
and re-worked, it may have been more memorable.
The voicings and arrangements
are good and the nonet gets as near to a big
band sound as is possible for 9 instruments.
But it raised the comment
from a passing listener,
"Does all the Jazz sound
the same?"
Somehow I don’t think that
was the composer’s intention.
Adrienne Fox
CD Reviews
PHONO
SUECIA PSCD 179
