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 - In New York (2005)

On May 31 and June 1, 2005, Swedish jazz pianist Jan Lundgren was in New York to record In New York for Marshmallow Records, an independent Japanese label founded in 1978. Backing Jan were bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington. The recording session took place at Nola's Penthouse Studio on 57th St., above the Steinway showroom (both now replaced by a zillion-story tower on what is known in New York as Billionaire's Row). Jim Czak, whom we all miss dearly, co-engineered, mixed and mastered. Most of the songs were chosen by Jan, with three added by the album's producer and Marshmallow founder Mitsuo Johfu: Autumn in New York, Cherokee and The Gypsy. Jan included two originals - Negotiations and M.Z. The balance were standards Jan wanted to record - East of the Sun, Benny Golson's Stablemates, John Coltrane's Straight Street, I Can't Get Started and Wayne Shorter's This Is for Albert. Great choices all. Jan doesn't get to New York as often as he used to. The pandemic changed a lot. This album is as close as we'll get unless you're in Stockholm and vicinity. In New York is exceptional. Listen to Jan on Autumn in New York and I Can't Get Started. Sheer elegance. There was gentle quality and swinging sophistication to Jan's playing then as is the case now, only more so. His level of taste is extraordinary, and his feel for American songbook standards is loving and respectful. Listen to Stablemates, one of the most statuesque trio renditions of the song I've ever heard and the most sensual, which is how Benny likes it played. Or listen to Jan's fabulous introduction to The Gypsy. [Photo above of Jan Lundgren by Steven Haberland] Straight Street, which Coltrane recorded on Coltrane (Prestige) in 1957, is a knockout, with Jan giving the song the mink-glove treatment. And This Is for Albert, which can be heard on Art Blakey's Caravan (Riverside), twists and turns with grace. Jan's originals here have a distinctly Swedish moodiness and are terrific change-ups from the jazz and pop songbook. As for Peter Washington and Kenny Washington, they are the gold standard and continue to inspire everyone they play with. This is an album you'll listen to over and over again. And, if I might add, a perfect album to play while on the sofa in front of the fireplace this season. The music will find its way all the way inside and make you very happy. ~ Marc Myers, JazzWax.com. 

Marshmallow Export, MMEX-106, 2005
Recorded 31st May-1st June, 2005 at Nola Recording Studio, New York 

Musicians:
Jan Lundgren - Piano
Peter Washington - Bass
Kenny Washington - Drums

Tracks:
01. Negotiations {Jan Lundgren} (7:27)
02. East Of The Sun {Brooks Bowman} (5:26)
03. Autumn In New York {Vernon Duke} (7:02)
04. Stablemates {Benny Golson} (7:36)
05. The Gypsy {Billy Reid} (4:52)
06. Straight Street {John Coltrane} (7:29)
07. M.Z. {Jan Lundgren} (5:12)
08. Cherokee {Ray Noble} (5:51)
09. I Can't Get Standerd {Ira Gershwin, Vernon Duke} (4:34)
10. This Is For Albert {Wayne Shorter} (6:14) 

Total Time: 61:46 

Credits:
Producer - Mitsuo Johfu
Recording Engineer - Jim Czak, Bill Moss 

Cherokee

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