Recordings by “pick up” groups, where the musicians have never played together before, can often descend into vapid display with each player retreating inside his or her comfort zone and trotting out their favourite licks.
But here is a notable exception: three hugely accomplished Scandinavians who met on a train to Copenhagen and decided to make a trio record there.
Swedish bassist Lars Danielsson, Norwegian saxophonist Marius Neset, and Danish drummer Morten Lund had never played together before this single, six-hour session but, with little preparation, what emerges is a fresh-sounding, deeply swinging record straight from the heart of the jazz tradition – a testament to the power of spontaneity and trust and an unexpectedly cogent addition to the rarefied saxophone trio tradition.
