Jesper Lundgaard Trio feat. Enrico Pieranunzi, Alex Riel - 60 Out Of Shape (2015)

Bassist Jesper Lundgaaard is one of the veterans of the Danish "bass monarchy", where Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen is the one who will forever reign at the top. On June 12 and 13 last year, he was on stage at Jazzhus Montmartre in Store Regnegade in Copenhagen, together with drummer Alex Riel (another person who has influenced Danish jazz life since the early 60s), and Italian pianist Enrico Pieranunzi (Italy's leading jazz pianist for the past 20 years). And from these two concerts, this brilliant recording of familiar standards is now available. It opens with "Autumn Leaves", before we get "All The Things You Are", "I Can't Get Started", "My Funny Valentine" and "What Is This Thing Called Love" in a medley with "Everything I Love" and "'Round Midnight", before the three go in for landing with Sonny Rollins' fine "Oleo". Trio music from the top shelf is served throughout. Pieranunzi is a brilliant interpreter of these standards, and with a following like Lundgaard and Riel, you can hardly go wrong. All the songs have nice dynamics, and you can hear that the musicians are having two good nights in Montmartre. In the cover text, journalist Peter H. Larsen asks the question of whether there is any difference between European and American jazz, in a nice little essay. I'm not so sure if we get any answers through this album, but one thing is certain, and that is that these three gentlemen in their prime, deliver jazz music that is very close to the "American model". And there are few, if any trios "over there" who do this better than the Italian and the two Danes. ~ Jan Granlie, salt-peanuts.eu. [Translated From Norwegian] 

Storyville Records, 1018452, 2015
Recorded 12th & 13th June, 2014 Live At Jazzhus Montmartre, Copenhagen, Denmark 

Musicians:
Jesper Lundgaard - Bass
Enrico Pieranunzi - Piano
Alex Riel - Drums

Tracks:
1. Autumn Leaves {Joseph Kosma} (9:21)
2. All The Things You Are {Jerome Kern} (8:50)
3. I Can't Get Started {Vernon Duke} (8:07)
4. My Funny Valentine {Richard Rodgers} (12:05)
5. Medley (16:25)
    What Is This Thing Called Love {Cole Porter}
    Everything I Love {Cole Porter}
    Round Midnight {Thelonious Monk}
6. Oleo {Sonny Rollins} (7:03) 

Total Time: 61:51 

Credits:
Producer - Jesper Lundgaard, Christian Brorsen
Recording & Mixing Engineer - Mik Neumann
Mastering Engineer - Jorgen Vad, VADYD
Photos - Torben Christensen
Design - Kenneth Schultz
Liner Notes - Peter H. Larsen
Translation - Steve Schein 

Oleo

Thomas Clausen, Tomas Franck, Jesper Lundgaard, Billy Hart - Blue Rain (2015)

Thomas Clausen, Tomas Franck, Jesper Lundgaard and Billy Hart are all jazz stars. The first three mainly on the European firmament, while the legendary American drummer's light shines throughout most of the universe. This new group was on the road during the fall of 2014 and wrapped up their tour with a two-day recording session in Copenhagen. They brought the atmosphere from their intense concerts with them to the studio and played away. It was a hot session: All four musicians in the same room; no headphones, and exclusively first takes focusing on the improvisational art that is the heartbeat of jazz. This new quartet is a reunion for Thomas Clausen and Swedish tenor saxophonist Tomas Franck. Tomas Franck is one of Scandinavia's leading saxophonists with numerous recordings under his belt. Blue Rain also brings one of Denmark's leading bassists, Jesper Lundgaard together with Tomas Franck again. Jesper has played with just about everybody -you name them; he's been there! As a new challenge, Thomas invited one of the absolute top drummers in the world, Billy Hart. Thomas Clausen put this super-group together to play a repertoire consisting mainly of his original compositions. The two exceptions are the lovely Ellington tune "Prelude to a Kiss" and a special bonus, the wonderful "Spring Is a Promise of Fall" composed by Cecilia Heick, who sings the tune with the band on the album. ~ Extract from www.amazon.com. 

Stunt Records, STUCD 15012, 2015
Recorded 22nd-23rd September, 2014 at Millfactury Studios, Copenhagen, Denmark 

Musicians:
Thomas Clausen - Piano
Tomas Franck - Tenor Saxophone
Jesper Lundgaard - Double Bass
Billy Hart - Drums
Cecilia Heick - Vocals (#7) 

Tracks:
1. Leaves {Thomas Clausen} (7:26)
2. Blue Rain {Thomas Clausen} (10:07)
3. Punk Monk {Thomas Clausen} (10:35)
4. Prelude To A Kiss {Duke Ellington} (10:12)
5. Prism {Thomas Clausen} (10:44)
6. Things You Are {Thomas Clausen} (9:03)
7. Spring Is A Promise Of Fall {Cecilia Heick} (9:25) 

Total Time: 67:32 

Credits:
Producer - Thomas Clausen
Executive-Producer - Peter Littauer, Søren Friis
Recording Engineer - Boe Larsen
Mixing & Mastering - Bjarne Hansen
Photography - Stephen Freiheit
Cover - Yellow1

Leaves

Jan Lundgren Trio - Blue Lights (2003)

Here, we have yet another fine trio outing by the marvellous Swedish pianist Jan Lundgren. For this release Jan continues to join company with bassist Jesper Lundgaard and drummer Alex Riel. Apart from two of his own compositions the trio delve into a bunch of bop tunes and other jazz standards. Recorded in Copenhagen in 2003 this album has been remastered and released again in 2010 by the Japanese marshmallow label. Not much more to say other than just dig and enjoy! 

Marshmallow Export, MMEX-101; 2003
Marshmallow Export, MMEX-142-CD, 2010
Recorded 20th & 21st January, 2003 at Sun Studio, Copenhagen, Denmark 

Musicians:
Jan Lundgren - Piano
Jesper Lundgaard - Bass
Alex Riel - Drums

Tracks:
01. Take Me In Your Arms {Fred Markush} (6:19)
02. Blue Lights {Gigi Gryce} (4:34)
03. Love Of My Life {Artie Shaw, Johnny Mercer} (5:53)
04. Easily Found {Jan Lundgren} (5:10)
05. Stranger In Paradise {Robert White} (5:32)
06. Winter Moon {Hoagy Carmichael} (4:59)
07. A Sunny Rain {Jan Lundgren} (6:47)
08. Fair Weather {Benny Golson} (5:34)
09. Skylark {Hoagy Carmichael} (4:51)
10. Out Of The Past {Benny Golson} (4:57)
11. We Could Make Such Beautiful Music Together {Henry Maners} (4:13) 

Total Time: 58:59 

Credits:
Producer, Photography, Remastering - Mitsuo Johfu
Reissue Producer - Guy Jones
Engineer - Bjarne Hansen
Engineer [Assistant] - Andreas Hviid
Design - Makoto Kanemura
Liner Notes - Ulf Abjörnsson 

Easily Found

Jan Lundgren Trio - Perfidia (2002)

Here's another wonderful session by the sensational Jan Lundgren Trio in its classic configuration comprising of as expected Jan on piano and his two veteran collaborators’ bassist Jesper Lundgaard and drummer Alex Riel. For this release the trio explore a broad selection of bop, hard bop and post-bop tunes. The album was produced by Jan and released on the sought after Japanese M&I label over twenty years ago but hasn't lost its scintillating appeal, it will easily become a favourite of any jazz piano fan, enjoy! 

M&I, MYCJ-30176, 2002
Recorded 16th & 17th September, 2002 at Sun Studio, Copenhagen, Denmark 

Musicians:
Jan Lundgren - Piano
Jesper Lundgaard - Bass
Alex Riel - Drums

Tracks:
01. Russian Lullaby {Irving Berlin} (7:32)
02. Perfidia {Alberto Dominguez} (5:20)
03. Med Ogon Kansliga For Gront {Barbro Hörberg, Nisse Hansén} (4:42)
04. Carnival {Harry Warren} (4:56)
05. Dat Dere {Bobby Timmons} (5:25)
06. Alfie {Burt Bacharach, Hal David} (5:57)
07. Don't Cha Go 'Way Mad {Jimmy Mundy} (3:25)
08. Jordu {Duke Jordan} (6:10)
09. More Than You Know {Billy Rose, Edward Eliscu, Vincent Youmans} (5:29)
10. Star Eyes {Don Raye, Gene DePaul} (5:21)
11. Long Ago And Far Away {Ira Gershwin, Jerome Kern} (6:13) 

Total Time: 60:30 

Credits:
Producer - Jan Lundgren
Executive-Producer, Photography - Mitsuo Johfu
Recording Engineer - Bjarne Hansen
Re-mastering Engineer - Kazuhiro Yamagata
A&R - Takeo Yokota 

Perfidia

Jan Lundgren Trio - Soft Summer Breeze (2007)

The title itself is inviting, not to say seductive. And just like that the record is, a warm summer breeze that flies by quickly, but a very pleasant one. At first unfocused listening, it can sound like talented bar music. But if you put your ear closer to the record, you can't avoid Lundgren's elegance and imagination. There are no bolder moves, but that's not what Lundgren is known for either, low-key and thoughtful as he is. The disc was recorded during a tour in Japan that Jan Lundgren told about in an interview in orkesterjournalen (12/2007). Lundgren and his producers know what Japanese concert-goers want: safe cards from The Great Songbook. Here are many of the most played: Mood Indigo, Things Ain't What They Used To Be, Lets Face The Music And Dance, Lullaby Of Birdland, to name a few. The Danish co-players Jesper Lundgaard and Alex Riel reinforce the elegance and softness that surrounds the record. None of them go off for hoes. Piano trio lovers will not be disappointed. Lundgren tackles the standard songs, as usual, with an enormous sense of style and lyrical play, with nourishing roots in the very greatest. One of the songs was written by saxophonist Al Cohn's (died 1988) Tasty Pudding. Just like that. A delicious and tasty pudding! ~ Peter H Larsen, orkesterjournalen.com. [Translated from Swedish] 

Marshmallow Records, MMEX-120, 2007
Recorded September, 2007 at "Sugita Theatre", Yokohama, Japan 

Musicians:
Jan Lundgren - Piano
Jesper Lundgaard - Bass
Alex Riel - Drums 

Tracks:
01. Mood Indigo {Duke Ellington, Barney Bigard} (4:41)
02. Tasty Pudding {Al Cohn} (4:34)
03. Darn That Dream {Eddie DeLange, Jimmy Van Heusen} (5:11)
04. Rhythm-A-Ning {Thelonious Monk} (5:01)
05. Things Ain't What They Used To Be {Duke Ellington} (5:04)
06. Soul Train {Tadd Dameron} (6:51)
07. Soft Summer Breeze {Eddie Heywood} (5:39)
08. Velvet Moon {Edgar De Lange, Josef Myrow} (5:08)
09. Let's Face The Music And Dance {Irving Berlin} (5:38)
10. Am I Blue {Harry Akst, Grant Clarke} (5:57)
11. Lullaby Of Birdland {George Shearing} (4:52)
12. From This Moment On {Cole Porter} (3:46) 

Total Time: 62:28 

Soft Summer Breeze

Bernt Rosengren - Surprise Party (1983) [vinyl>flac]

Sweden's top saxophonist/composer/arranger/bandleader Rosengren (b. 1937) gained wide recognition through his work with Krzysztof Komeda in Poland and his performance in the soundtrack of Polanski's film "Knife In The Water" in 1962. Later he played with George Russell, Don Cherry and Lars Gullin. In the late 70s he formed a group with Doug Raney, who is appearing in this recording on one track as a guest player. ~ steeplechase.dk

SteepleChase Records, SCS-1177, 1983

Recorded 8^th March, 1983 At Easy Sound Studio, Copenhagen, Denmark

Musicians:

Bernt Rosengren - Tenor Saxophone

Horace Parlan - Piano

Doug Raney - Guitar (#B2,B3)

Jesper Lundgaard - Bass

Aage Tanggaard - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Solar {Miles Davis} (5:46)

A2. I Should Care {Sammy Cahn, Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston} (8:07)

A3. Dr. Jackle {Jackie McLean} (7:36)

B1. Hip Walk {Bernt Rosengren} (6:29)

B2. Embraceable You {George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin} (8:02)

B3. Airegin {Sonny Rollins} (5:32)

Credits:

Producer, Photography - Nils Winther

Recording Engineer - Niels Erik Lund

Cover Design - Per Grunnet