2017

Svensk jazzhistoria vol. 11/Jazz Cosmopolit är en box med fyra fullmatade cd-skivor och en 188-sidig bok om den svenska jazzen på 1970-talet.<br/> <br/>Här hörs musik av så vitt skilda namn som Alice Babs, Monica Dominique, Nannie Porres, Monica Zetterlund, Lars Gullin, Georg Riedel, Bernt Rosengren, Nisse Sandström, Janne Schaffer, Bobo Stenson, Eje Thelin, Per Henrik Wallin, Putte Wickman, Lennart Åberg och grupper som Egba, Iskra, Mount Everest, Oriental Wind, Rena Rama, Sevda, Solar Plexus, Radiojazzgruppen, Tintomara m.fl.

Buczek Vivian: Ella lives 2017 [Digipack / CD]

Released on the occasion of Anouar Brahem's 60th birthday, "Blue Maqams" offers many reasons to celebrate. Recorded in New York's Avatar Studios in May 2017 and produced by Manfred Eicher, it brings the Tunisian oud master together with three brilliant improvisers: the "Maqams" of the title refers to the Arabic modal music system, rendered kind of blue by the jazz players. For Anouar Brahem and Dave Holland the album marks a reunion: they first collaborated 20 years ago on the very widely-acclaimed "Thimar" album. Brahem meets Jack DeJohnette for the first time here, but Holland and DeJohnette have been frequent musical partners over the last half-century beginning with ground-breaking work with Miles Davis - their collaborations are legendary. British pianist Django Bates also rises superbly to the challenge of Brahem's compositions. And Anouar in turn is inspired to some of his most outgoing playing. "Blue Maqams" is a highlight of ECM's autumn season.

Digipack.<br/><br/>"Jag låter min musik frodas i den nordiska melankolins tonspråk. Där vill jag varsamt förvalta arvet efter några av de mest älskade namnen inom svensk jazz och visa. Musiken hedrar en tradition men tar den in i en samtid med de infallsvinklar en 90-talist upptäcker i sig själv och andra."<br/>Amanda Ginsburg<br/><br/>"Albumdebuterande sångerskan Amanda Ginsburg har redan låtit tala om sig; i våras släppte hon en singel, i höstas ännu en, och till på köpet nominerades hon till P2:s Guldkatten i kategorin Årets nykomling. <br/>Fullängdaren "Jag har funderat på en sak", som innefattar båda singlarna, rör sig mellan jazz och visa, med texter på svenska. Det är musik som vinner mycket på just språket, men tilltalet är också musikaliskt okonstlat och direkt. Andra har gått före i samma spår - Sarah Riedel, till exempel. Men Ginsburg har sin egen timbre och en närhet till sin musik och sina texter som känns distinkt personlig. En viss poppighet smyger sig osökt på, samtidigt som musiken ekar av samma gammelsvenska traditioner som Jan Johansson och andra utvecklade på 60-talet".<br/><br/>- Johannes Cornell - DN

Parks Aaron/Ben Street/Billy Hart: Find the way [CD]

British pianist Django Bates returns to ECM with one of his very finest constellations, the trio Belovèd, with Swedish bassist Petter Eldh and Danish drummer Peter Bruun, and an aptly named album, "The Study of Touch". All three musicians are highly individual players, subtly challenging the conventions of the jazz piano trio. The group came together a decade ago when Bates was teaching at Copenhagen's Rhythmic Music Conservatory. The shared work has included inspired reconstructions of pieces associated with Charlie Parker - a formative influence for both Bates and bassist Eldh - and in this new album, Parker's tune "Passport" is set amid Django originals, and played with respect, contemporary sensibility and joy. Some of Django's own tunes here - such as "Senza Bitterness", "Sadness All The Way Down" and "We Are Not Lost, We Are Simply Finding Our Way" have become core pieces in Belovèd's repertoire, continually remodeled by this trio of improvisers. Bates' composing and arranging skills are much in evidence, along with his freewheeling, free-flowing virtuosic melodic sense. The terse, percussive edge of Petter Eldh's bass provides momentum and drummer Peter Bruun details the music with an almost painterly touch. In the crowded world of the piano trio, Belovèd has developed a sound all its own. "The Study of Touch" was recorded at Oslo's Rainbow Studio in June 2016, and produced by Manfred Eicher.

Julia Hülsmann Trio: Sooner and later 2017 [CD]