Record Reviews

GRAHAM COLLIER ~ BRITISH CONVERSATIONS MY ONLY DESIRE 004 (Barcode: 5052442020400) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 1975 Released: 2021 This is an archival album, which presents a previously unreleased suite by British Jazz bassist / composer / bandleader Graham CollierFind albums by this artist, one of the Godfathers of modern British Jazz. This is a live recording of the suite from 1975 with the Swedish Radio Jazz GroupFind albums by this artist featuring Collier as conductor and British trumpeter Harry BeckettFind albums by this artist and guitarist Ed SpeightFind albums by this artist, both regular members of his groups, as guest soloist. The album presents five tracks, all composed and arranged by Collier. The recording quality is excellent. The fifteen members strong Swedish Radio Jazz Group included some of the finest Swedish / European musicians active at the time, including saxophonists Arne DomnerusFind albums by this artist and Lennart AbergFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Bertil LovgrenFind albums by this artist, pianist Bengt HallbergFind albums by this artist and others. The music follows the modus operandi of Collier’s compositional concepts, which produced several Jazz suites over time. The music is based on highly melodic themes, with characteristic Collier’s love of the Blues and modern harmony, which in this case are beautifully and highly imaginatively arranged for a Big Band, rather than the more common arrangements for his small groups. There is plenty of superb soloing, both by the two Brits and the local Swedes. Especially interesting are the guitar solos, which emphasize the great talent of Speight, who is often otherwise overlooked, despite being certainly one of the most unique British guitar players. I remember talking to Graham about this recording at the time and in time completely forgot about it. Seeing it released was a most pleasant surprise, like finding a lost treasure. The album includes informative liner notes by Duncan HeiningFind albums by this artist, which offers a historical perspective of Collier’s work. Kudos to Jon GriffithsFind albums by this artist, the owner of My Only DesireFind albums on this label Records, for releasing this fabulous piece of music, which was dormant for so many years. This is a second album, which documents the collaboration between British Jazz musicians with the Swedish Radio Jazz Group, following the fabulous Mike WestbrookFind albums by this artist’s “Love And Understanding: Citadel / Room 315 Sweden `74Find albums with this title” album released a year earlier. Hopefully more of such gems will follow. All British Jazz fans are grateful, of course! Overall, this is a wonderful piece of British Jazz history, which deserves to be heard today, as it lost absolutely nothing of its power of expression and aesthetic values, fulfilling a missing link that many Collier fans can now consider as resolved. An absolute must have!

Updated: 10/03/2023Posted: 13/05/2022

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend

ARNE DOMNERUS ~ THE SHEIK / BROST-TONER FOUR LEAF CLOVER 2005/6 (Barcode: 7319200042837) ~ SWEDEN ~ Jazz Recorded: 1974 - 1979 Released: 2002 This is a reissue of two albums, both recorded in 1979, by Swedish saxophonist / composer / bandleader Arne DomnerusFind albums by this artist, one of the Godfathers of the Swedish Jazz scene, active for over five decades with an extensive recording legacy of over a hundred albums as a leader and sideman. CD1 is the album “The SheikFind albums with this title”, recorded in a quintet setting with American pianist / vocalist Jimmy RowlesFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Jan AllanFind albums by this artist, bassist Georg RiedelFind albums by this artist and drummer Rune CarlssonFind albums by this artist (the last two were one of the best European rhythm sections at the time). Of the nine tracks on this album seven are standards and two are original compositions by Riedel. This reissue adds a bonus track recorded by a Big Band, which features Domnerus, recorded in 1975. Considering the presence of Rowles, this album is all in traditional mainstream Jazz setting. CD2 is the album “Brost-TonerFind albums with this title”, recorded in a nonet and quartet settings, which include top Swedish Jazz players at the time, including pianists Bengt HallbergFind albums by this artist or Gunnar SvenssonFind albums by this artist, guitarist Rune GustafssonFind albums by this artist, Riedel and drummer Egil JohansenFind albums by this artist. Of the ten tracks on this album, eight are original compositions by the performing musicians and two are standards. This reissue adds a bonus track recorded by a Big Band, which features Domnerus, recorded in 1974. The music here is completely different from that on the companion album, full of vibrant modern European Jazz, with frequent tempo changes, complex harmonies and sophisticated compositions, which are ideal vehicles for the superb improvisations. Overall, this is a wonderful visit to the Swedish Jazz scene in the mid-1970s, which I had plenty of opportunity to experience first-hand during my visits there and meeting many of the musicians, who perform on these albums. Sweden had one of the strongest local Jazz scenes in Europe at the time and every visiting American Jazz musician used to include Sweden in their concert roster.

Updated: 29/01/2025Posted: 29/01/2025

CD 2 Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

KARIN KROG ~ ONE ON ONE MEANTIME 07 (Barcode: 7051070000073) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz Recorded: 1977 - 1980 Released: 1997 This is a compilation / reissue / remaster album by the Norwegian Jazz singer Karin KrogFind albums by this artist, with tracks compiled from three duo albums recorded between 1977 and 1980 by Swedish producer Frank HedmanFind albums by this artist, all sadly never reissued on CD. The album presents eighteen tracks, most of which are standards or improvisations of Folklore or Classical Music themes. Tracks 1 to 6 were taken from the album “But Three`s A CrowdFind albums with this title”, recorded in 1977 with American (resident in Sweden) bassist Red MitchellFind albums by this artist. Tracks 7 to 14 were taken from the album “A Song For YouFind albums with this title”, recorded in 1977 with Swedish pianist Bengt HallbergFind albums by this artist. Tracks 15 to 18 were taken from the album “With Malice Towards NoneFind albums with this title”, recorded in 1980 with Swedish organist Nils LindbergFind albums by this artist. The album is a wonderful testimony of Krog’s love of the duo setting, where she seems to feel very comfortable and is the format for many of her albums. The “Art of the Duo” is a perfect description of these tracks. She recorded additional album with these musicians over the years of course. Overall, this is brilliant music, which thanks to this reissue can be heard again, rather than disappear in the past. Krog has very few competitors as a Jazz vocalist, with her idiosyncratic approach and incredible feel, and her superb recorded legacy accumulated over the years is a true treasure chest. This is an absolute must to vocal Jazz enthusiasts.

Updated: 18/08/2023Posted: 18/08/2023

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

KARIN KROG & BENGT HALLBERG ~ CABIN IN THE SKY GAZELL 1112 (Barcode: 7393775111228) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2011 This is an album by Norwegian Jazz vocalist Karin KrogFind albums by this artist and Swedish pianist Bengt HallbergFind albums by this artist, recorded in a duo setting at the legendary Rainbow Studio in Oslo and engineered by Jan Erik KongshaugFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve tracks, ten of which are standards and two are original songs by Krog. Krog and Hallberg recorded a couple of albums as a duo in the past: “A Song For YouFind albums with this title” (1977) and “Two Of A KindFind albums with this title” (1982) and this recording made three decades later is a celebration of a long musical camaraderie between the two. Hallberg is a great pianist of course, but his skill as an accompanist is simply stunning. Despite the fact that the music spans many Jazz stylings, from Ragtime to Bebop, Hallberg feels perfectly comfortable for the entire duration and his sensibility towards Krog is absolutely stunning. Krog has been one of my favorite Jazz vocalists since many decades. She does not have any of the spectacular qualities that many Jazz vocalists offer, but she is a marvelous interpreter and her almost cabaret-like approach is often way more accurate and sensible than highly technical and virtuosic singer, who simply don’t get it despite their abilities. Overall, this is a marvelous duo album, and a perfect Jazz vocal display, which flows gently and intelligently from one song to another, like in a dream. The two old friends are perfect together, proving that age has nothing to do with it, if you really have to touch. This is a true gem from start to finish, like all the albums by Krog, and one that fits perfectly the gap in my collection. Warmly recommended!

Updated: 13/06/2023Posted: 13/06/2023

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

MIKE WESTBROOK ~ LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING: CITADEL / ROOM 315 SWEDEN `74 MY ONLY DESIRE 003 (Barcode: 5052442016687) ~ UK ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 1974 Released: 2020 This is an archival album, which finally brings back to life the original live recording of the “Citadel / Room 315Find albums with this title” suite by British pianist / composer / bandleader Mike WestbrookFind albums by this artist, recorded with the Swedish Radio Jazz GroupFind albums by this artist featuring Westbrook on electric piano and British saxophonist John SurmanFind albums by this artist as the guest soloist. A studio version of the suite was recorded a year later by an all British lineup and released on RCAFind albums on this label. The album presents eleven tracks, all composed and arranged by Westbrook. The recording quality is absolutely marvelous. The sixteen members strong Swedish Radio Jazz Group included some of the finest Swedish / European musicians active at the time, including saxophonists Arne DomnerusFind albums by this artist and Lennart AbergFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Bertil LovgrenFind albums by this artist, pianist Bengt HallbergFind albums by this artist and others. A comparison with the British recording version, which of course is well known to all Westbrook followers, shows several distinct differences, especially as far as the overall sound, which here is somewhat more “traditional” and closer to the American Big Band tradition, which is not surprising considering the years-long Swedish Jazz tradition, very closely linked to the American tradition and the fact that many prominent American Jazz musicians lived in Sweden at the time. The British version, recorded by the young generation of musicians, who revolutionized the local Jazz scene completely and managed to create a distinct new Jazz dialect, is somewhat more daring and “subversive”, in the best possible way of course. Kudos to My Only DesireFind albums on this label Records for releasing this fabulous piece of music, which was dormant for so many years. All British Jazz fans are grateful, of course! Overall, this is a wonderful piece of British Jazz history, which deserves to be heard today, as it lost absolutely nothing of its power of expression and aesthetic values, fulfilling a missing link that many Westbrook fans can now consider as resolved. An absolute must have!

Updated: 02/02/2023Posted: 12/03/2022

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Recommend To A Friend