New EST album.

[Guest che]

Anyone come across the new album from Sewden's finest EST?

I have just ordered it.

Any thoughts?

Che.

[tjobbe]

Hi Che,

I have it since a while as SACD (available right now in Germany only).... its not that I would die if I wouldn't have it.. Listened to it twice meanwhile, its solid and what you expect from them....not more, not less.. I'm sometime missing some remarkable hooks that make me want to listen to it more often.

Cheers, Tjobbe

Edited February 16, 2005 by tjobbe

[Guest che]

Hi Che,

I have it since a while as SACD (available right now in Germany only).... its not that I would die if I wouldn't have it.. Listened to it twice meanwhile, its solid and what you expect from them....not more, not less.. I'm sometime missing some remarkable hooks that make me want to listen to it more often.

Cheers, Tjobbe

Thanks tjobbe.

I have most of the EST albums, and I have seen them live twice, I will see then again in May.

The last album 'Seven Days Of Falling' was great, and to me it moved beyond what many people call 'Jazz', They remind me of Jan Garbarek, in that they help merge jazz and music, I am not sure if this is a good thing or not?

What do you think?

Che.

[GA Russell]

Che and Tjobbe, how would you rate Strange Place for Snow?

[Free For All]

they help merge jazz and music

[Guest che]

they help merge jazz and music

Well if yiou read what the groups say, they do not define themselves as a Jazz Group. They talk about just making music that sounds good to them, and in some ways it may be a factor in their appeal. They feel that they are more jazz influenced than jazz.

The 'Seven Days Of Falling" album, in my view was not really a jazz album as such, it contained several musical styles some of which was Jazz some not.

Jan Garbarek takes the same position, he now talks about making music, that sounds good to him and not Jazz. He sees himself moving beyond jazz, and goes even further by saying that Jazz has not be produced since the mid-60's!

Che.

[Guest che]

Che and Tjobbe, how would you rate Strange Place for Snow?

In many ways I like the 'Strange Place' album more than the Seven Days Of Falling album. To me the tracks are stronger and less comercial, in particular I like the title track and 'Behind The Yashmak'. I think it shows the group at their best.

Che.

[Guest che]

I am sat here watching and listening to the 'Live in Stockholm' concert on DVD, it reminds me how good the group are, and Svensson is on great form in this concert.

Che.

[Guest che]

The group are touring in April/May they are even better live, well with going to try and see.

Che.

[neveronfriday]

I have said it elsewhere on this board a day or two ago and I'll say it again. As sad as it is, EST are caught in a formula that is beginning to get tiring. And this comes from a big fan. I saw them live again last summer and it was a blast, but the new CD is so formulaic that it hurts, sorry to say. They're not evolving, although Esbjörn would surely disagree here. To my ears the new CD tries nothing but to fulfill audience expectations down to a "T" and I have to say that even repeated listenings could not change the fact that I felt hugely disappointed (the music is still good to great, and if you don't know them, do check the CD out, but if you have their other albums, you'll only find variations of things you've heard countless times).

Pity.

I'll wait patiently for the next one.

Cheers!

(P.S.: I haven't found a single review that agrees with me, so take what I said with a kilo of salt)

[Guest che]

I have said it elsewhere on this board a day or two ago and I'll say it again. As sad as it is, EST are caught in a formula that is beginning to get tiring. And this comes from a big fan. I saw them live again last summer and it was a blast, but the new CD is so formulaic that it hurts, sorry to say. They're not evolving, although Esbjörn would surely disagree here. To my ears the new CD tries nothing but to fulfill audience expectations down to a "T" and I have to say that even repeated listenings could not change the fact that I felt hugely disappointed (the music is still good to great, and if you don't know them, do check the CD out, but if you have their other albums, you'll only find variations of things you've heard countless times).

Pity.

I'll wait patiently for the next one.

Cheers!

(P.S.: I haven't found a single review that agrees with me, so take what I said with a kilo of salt)

Thnaks for the opinion I will let you know what I think, and you are right the reviews are very positive about this album.

Che.

[tonym]

I have said it elsewhere on this board a day or two ago and I'll say it again. As sad as it is, EST are caught in a formula that is beginning to get tiring. And this comes from a big fan. I saw them live again last summer and it was a blast, but the new CD is so formulaic that it hurts, sorry to say. They're not evolving, although Esbjörn would surely disagree here. To my ears the new CD tries nothing but to fulfill audience expectations down to a "T" and I have to say that even repeated listenings could not change the fact that I felt hugely disappointed (the music is still good to great, and if you don't know them, do check the CD out, but if you have their other albums, you'll only find variations of things you've heard countless times).

Pity.

I'll wait patiently for the next one.

Cheers!

(P.S.: I haven't found a single review that agrees with me, so take what I said with a kilo of salt)

I didn't hear Seven Days... but caught them live (on radio and TV) so I won't comment on that album and their 'evolution' (between the Live 95 album and Susie Soho, there was a definite development I think), but having listened last night and now, this morning, to their latest, I know exactly what you mean.

All the elements, and very nice elements they are, are there. The repeated little riffs by bass and piano are present. The 'light and shade': tick another box.

Almost as if they're playing the same tunes at some points during the album.

Good. But not taking their collective talents far enough down the path they intended to walk.

[A Lark Ascending]

I enjoyed EST very much seing them live at a couple of Cheltenham festivals.

But after 'Goodbye Susie Soho' I've found their records to be very similar. Give me Bobo Stenson any day.

For recent Scandanavian jazz I much prefer:

For recent piano trio:

EST are going to have to rethink their approach if they want to hold their popularity.

[Guest che]

I have to say that as much as I like EST, I would prefer Stenson most times, as I said in the thread on Swedish Jazz, I enjoy his work with Anders Jormin very much.

Che.

[neveronfriday]

For recent Scandanavian jazz I much prefer:

For recent piano trio:

The Bollani/Bodilsen/Lund is a fantastic album!!!!!

I'm also a big fan of Jesper and Morten who were stellar in Casper Villaume's Quartet (their first CD was a real discovery whereas the folliwng one was rather weak). I saw them live in a small café (it's actually more a bar) called "Sommersko" in downtown Copenhagen and it was one of the best concerts I have ever seen. And I've seen lots. Those two are so good together (Ed Thigpen has worked with them regularly both as a teacher and in various groups) that they remind me of powerhouse rhythm sections of times long gone.

Cheers!

Edited February 18, 2005 by deus62

[Bluerein]

I haven't heard in detail but what I heard sounded very familiar....so more of the same EST. They are running out of ideas (just like Soulive does/did).

[Guest che]

I haven't heard in detail but what I heard sounded very familiar....so more of the same EST. They are running out of ideas (just like Soulive does/did).

Well the reviews are good and I wonder how many jazz groups produce the same music time and time again?

For example does not the keith Jarrett trio produce the same music again and again, most of which is not their own stuff? And yet we rave about their music, their talent, and the sound they create!

What is the difference?

che.

[Guest che]

Sometimes it seems that we try and limit the development of Jazz, in my view EST have contributed more to the general publics interest in jazz, than John Coltrane B-)

Che.

[sidewinder]

I don't have any of their albums but I did see them at the Bath Festival last year and enjoyed it, they were very professional. Great presentation and attention to detail - sort of reminded me of the MJQ in that respect..

[Guest che]

I don't have any of their albums but I did see them at the Bath Festival last year and enjoyed it, they were very professional. Great presentation and attention to detail - sort of reminded me of the MJQ in that respect..

I have seen live in Sweden and the UK and each time it has been wonderful, I will see then again later in the year.

I can appreciate than some people think they are predictable, I am not one of those people. Yes they have a popular appeal, and they may not be for the purists, but they get people interested in the broad church that is jazz.

Che.

[sidewinder]

They sure do ! I have rarely seen a more enthusiastic audience at a jazz concert, the place was packed. After this concert at the Bath Fest the audience for the follow-on concerts then thinned out considerably and the average age went up by 10 years or so !

[Guest che]

They sure do ! I have rarely seen a more enthusiastic audience at a jazz concert, the place was packed. After this concert at the Bath Fest the audience for the follow-on concerts then thinned out considerably and the average age went up by 10 years or so !

I was in Stockholm a few years ago, and this was before they became big, it was electric. Then I caught up with them in the UK and they 'rocked' the joint.

A great group live.

Che.

[Guest che]

Finally got this album this morning and

[Guest che]

Well I was typing to fast

Anyway a very good album and one that I like, for me it has a Nordic feel about in, I think this is better than the last album.

More later.

Che

[Guest che]

I haven't heard in detail but what I heard sounded very familiar....so more of the same EST. They are running out of ideas (just like Soulive does/did).

I've spent the past week listening to this album quite a few times, and I think it is pretty good. Yes there are some of the tracks are familier, well in terms of what they have produced before, but there is something new here. It is an albm that is growing on me.

Che.