Bobo Stenson

[Guy Berger]

Any recommendations for CDs that include Stenson but not Charles Lloyd or Jan Garbarek? Out of his recent albums on ECM (Serenity, War Orphans, Reflections) which is the best to start with?

Guy

ps I initially wrote "don't include Stenson but not..." Maybe I should draw a Venn Diagram next time.

Edited August 19, 2005 by Guy

[fkimbrough]

War Orphans and Reflections are both great, and so is Serenity. Serenity is a little more abstract than the other two. He has a new one coming in September on ECM - it's called Goodbye, and features Anders Jormin and Paul Motian. Also, there's a fine CD recorded in the 80's for Dragon Records in Sweden - it's called Very Early. It may be more difficult to find, but it's a very fine recording, and my suit you favorably if you prefer something a little more conventional than the ECM recordings. Don't forget his fine work with Tomasz Stanko - Matka Joanna and Leosia, both on ECM.

[WD45]

War Orphans and Reflections are both great, and so is Serenity.  Serenity is a little more abstract than the other two.  He has a new one coming in September on ECM - it's called Goodbye, and features Anders Jormin and Paul Motian.  Also, there's a fine CD recorded in the 80's for Dragon Records in Sweden - it's called Very Early.  It may be more difficult to find, but it's a very fine recording, and my suit you favorably if you prefer something a little more conventional than the ECM recordings.  Don't forget his fine work with Tomasz Stanko - Matka Joanna and Leosia, both on ECM.

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Agreed. I would start with Reflections, but it is a toss-up between that and War Orphans. Anders Jormin and Jon Christensen are the rhythm on these dates, and provide a superb interaction. The version of "My Man's Gone Now" on Reflections will take your breath away.

I go for long periods without listening to these three records [serenity is nice, too] but when I do, I listen to all three, and maybe a couple of times.

[Guest akanalog]

i know you dont like garbarek-i don't like his tone too much either.

but...i think if you want to hear stenson you should check out some early garbarek stuff (such as afric pepperbird or witchi tai-to). garbarek definitely does not have anything smooth or cheesy going on and the music is pretty deep.

[7/4]

Any recommendations for CDs that don't include Stenson but not Charles Lloyd or Jan Garbarek? 

[Aggie87]

I'm sure Chuck will pipe in with this thoughts, but I'd just go for the Mosaic and get it all in one fell swoop...

[Joe G]

Any recommendations for CDs that don't include Stenson but not Charles Lloyd or Jan Garbarek? 

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Quite the riddler, ain't he?

[7/4]

Any recommendations for CDs that don't include Stenson but not Charles Lloyd or Jan Garbarek? 

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Quite the riddler, ain't he?

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I thought about recomending Music for Airports, but didn't want to be a wise ass.

[Guy Berger]

Thanks to Frank, akanalog & WD45 for their recs. I'm actually planning to pick up Witchi-Tai-To and the early Garbarek ECMs at some point; and I'm a big fan of Charles Lloyd's Canto & All My Relations. (I thought The Call was too sleepy, though -- not very familiar with Notes from Big Sur or Fish Out of Water.) I excluded those two saxophonists because I was interested in Stenson's other sideman work. I'll have to get a Stanko CD one of these days!

Guy

[Guest akanalog]

stenson also sideman's on some peter erskine sides on ECM-i liked what i heard. certainly a bit "quiet" but nice piano trio music.

stenson is also sideman on one or two early terje rypdals-playing electric piano. also worth checking out depending on how you feel about rypdal. this is early aggressive rypdal.

[nathan]

I like all of his leader recordings, but my personal favorite (and one of my favorite records period) is Serenity, by quite a ways. I return to it constantly. It's just indescribably haunting, concentrated, spacious and brilliant. As much as I like the others, this feels like a real next step to me, in a positive way. And Anders Jormin is miraculous here. Highly, highly recommended.

nathan

[WD45]

Thanks to Frank, akanalog & WD45 for their recs.  I'm actually planning to pick up Witchi-Tai-To and the early Garbarek ECMs at some point; and I'm a big fan of Charles Lloyd's Canto & All My Relations. (I thought The Call was too sleepy, though -- not very familiar with Notes from Big Sur or Fish Out of Water.)  I excluded those two saxophonists because I was interested in Stenson's other sideman work.  I'll have to get a Stanko CD one of these days!

    Guy

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Speaking of Stanko, I can heartily recommend "Litania - The Music of Krzysztof Komeda."

[WD45]

I like all of his leader recordings, but my personal favorite (and one of my favorite records period) is Serenity, by quite a ways. I return to it constantly. It's just indescribably haunting, concentrated, spacious and brilliant. As much as I like the others, this feels like a real next step to me, in a positive way. And Anders Jormin is miraculous here. Highly, highly recommended.

nathan

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I am curious to know what Anders Jormin's "Xieyi" album on ECM sounds like. It features a chamber music-looking line up of players/instruments:

Anders Jormin double-bass

Robin Rydqvist trumpet, flugelhorn

Krister Petersson french horn

Lars-Göran Carlsson trombone

Niclas Rydh bass trombone

[tonym]

Guy

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Speaking of Stanko, I can heartily recommend "Litania - The Music of Krzysztof Komeda."

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[nathan]

Another big thumbs up for Stanko's Leosia. Oxley's drumming on the opening track is one of my favorite performances...totally unique contribution to a beautiful ballad. Quite a track, and the rest of the album is great!

I'd love to hear that Jormin record, but haven't to date.

nathan

[fkimbrough]

akanalog - I believe you're confusing Stenson with John Taylor on the Erskine ECM disks (You Never Know, As It Is, Juni) - they're quite nice too. Palle Danielsson's on bass on all of them.

[Guest akanalog]

yeah hmmm.

i thought stenson did some trio work with erskine. i didn't realize it is ALL taylor. wow.

[WD45]

He's no slouch either...

[jlhoots]

War Orphans is my favorite.

[SEK]

War Orphans is my favorite.

It's my favorite too, of his trio recordings. I also like "Underwear" from early on.

For discussion of Stenson's earlier recordings, please see the Album of the Week thread for "Witchi-Tai-To" (from October 5 - 11, 2003).

[A Lark Ascending]

I'll throw in a big recommendation for serenity.

He has a new disc due in a few weeks. From Jazzmatazz:

Bobo Stenson/Anders Jormin/Paul Motian - Goodbye (ECM) Sept 13

[A Lark Ascending]

Just noticed Stenson is also on this new ECM release:

Record is called "Parish". Group led by drummer Thomas Strønen with Stenson, clarinet/sax from Fredrik Ljungkvist and bass from Mats Eilertsen.

Ljungkvist is the excellent reed fronts-person of the wonderful Atomic.

Edited August 20, 2005 by Bev Stapleton

[Guy Berger]

War Orphans is my favorite.

This is a really nice album!

Guy

[GA Russell]

ps I initially wrote "don't include Stenson but not..." Maybe I should draw a Venn Diagram next time.

Guy, you're making me laugh!