Record Reviews

ANDERS HAGBERG ~ WITH HOPE PROPHONE 369 (Barcode: 822359004443) ~ SWEDEN ~ Jazz Recorded: 2023 - 2024 Released: 2025 This is an album by Swedish flautist / saxophonist / composer Anders HagbergFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with Swedish bassist Johannes LundbergFind albums by this artist, Finnish keyboardist Joona ToivanenFind albums by this artist and Norwegian drummer Helge Andreas NorbakkenFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven tracks, eight of which are original compositions by Hagberg, two are arrangements of Ukrainian Folk songs and one is an arrangement of a Classical piece by Francis PoulencFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded by Lundberg, who is also a sound engineer, and offers a beautiful sound quality and ambience. The music is beautifully melodic and melancholic, full of Scandinavian mysticism and many Folkloristic themes, which blend perfectly with the Jazzy improvisations. All the musicians perform splendidly and support Hagberg’s impressive soloing amicably and creatively. In his liner notes printed in the album’s artwork, Hagberg mentions the sadness and misery that surrounds us presently, a time which shows the cruelty of the human nature, rather than its beauty. These feelings are perfectly reflected in the music, which also might perhaps serve as a soothing element. Individually, people have very little effect on their life’s circumstances and the world that surrounds them, with Art, music included, being one of the few remedies we are able to apply to face our destiny. This music definitely can serve as such a remedy, with its intrinsic beauty and comforting, relaxing nature, for which we can only be thankful. Overall, this is a wonderful piece of music, full of beautiful melodies, heartfelt performances and a calming embrace. Although it is improvised and far from trivial, it is certainly very communicative and universal, which makes it accessible to a wide range of listeners, not necessarily strictly from the Jazz loving circles. Well done and warmly recommended!

Updated: 01/10/2025Posted: 01/10/2025

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NORMA WINSTONE ~ DESCANSADO: SONGS FOR FILMS ECM 2567 (Barcode: 602557869897) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018 This is the fifth (fourth on the ECMFind albums on this label label) album by British Jazz diva vocalist / lyricist Norma WinstoneFind albums by this artist recorded in a trio format with Italian pianist Glauco VenierFind albums by this artist and German saxophonist / clarinetist Klaus GesingFind albums by this artist. Two additional musicians: Norwegian percussionist Helge Andreas NorbakkenFind albums by this artist and Italian cellist Mario BrunelloFind albums by this artist, appear as guest on the album. The album presents Winstone´s interpretations of eleven theme songs of cult, mostly European films, one of which is also repeated in a short solo piano version. Two of these songs have original English lyrics, Winstone wrote lyrics for six more of the themes and the remaining ones remain wordless vocalese pieces. Venier and Gesing wrote all the instrumental arrangements. The album is dedicated to two great British Jazz luminaries, who were inseparable from Winstone´s career over the years: pianist John TaylorFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist, both sadly no longer with us. The music is an intimate, highly elegant and exquisite piece of European Culture, which has an inclusive approach to Art, in which Cinema, Music and all other Art forms are simply different aspects of the same aesthetics. On this album Winstone in sublimely minimalist, as is the instrumental accompaniment, which only amplifies the overall effect of immediacy and deep empathy with the original music. She is, as always, consistent with her established vocal techniques and expressions, which enable a wide palette of vocal possibilities that she wisely and thoughtfully employs. Of course all the musicians involved are Masters of their trade and their ability to cushion Winstone´s delicate vocal phrases with their magic touches is utterly radiant. Winstone´s albums are always a completely risk-free endeavors for me, pieces of sublime taste and perfect execution that one can "blindly" count on. It just occurred to me that I have known Norma longer that I know my wife, which seems to be forever. Since I met her in 1968 I have closely followed her achievements, often on the vanguard of the British / European Jazz, and she never ever disappointed me in any way. Such remarkable consistency and creative power is incredibly rare and I am grateful to her for five decades of musical delights. I suppose this music might not appeal to all Jazz enthusiasts. It is definitely fragile and somewhat Spartan, compelling the listener to make an intellectual and emotional effort in order to absorb it, as all great Art does. Being familiar with these cult films and their soundtracks clearly helps. It is haute culture, obviously, which in our Neanderthal world gets barely noted, but that means it is something worth living for. If you know Winstone´s work, this album will be undoubtedly one of the crown jewels, if you don´t this is perhaps a great opportunity to discover her. In any case, this is a brilliant piece of music, which is out there for everybody to love!

Updated: 27/05/2018Posted: 27/05/2018

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