Rolf Billberg - Rare Danish Recordings by a Swedish Jazz Legend (2005)

The 75 min. of music on this CD (15 tunes) are comprised of six sessions recorded in studios in Copenhagen during 1956-66 - the last ten years of Rolf Billberg's life. Accompanying Swedish alto saxophonist Billberg on these sessions are the best of the modern Scandinavian jazz musicians of the time, including Lars Gullin, Jørgen Ryg, Atli Bjørn, William Schiöpffe and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen. The repertoire includes a spiritual, jazz standards, be-bop favorites and two of Billberg's own compositions. Some of the music on this CD has never been previously released. Rolf Billberg was one of the absolute most prominent Scandinavian jazz musicians of the 50's and 60's. Billberg was a unique individualist, contrasting burning lyricism with cool distance in his style of playing - a style influenced mainly by Charlie Parker and Lee Konitz. All the tunes on this CD - from "Ol' Man River" to "Opus De Funk" - present brilliant work by Billberg. Rolf Billberg characterized Scandinavian modern jazz in the sixties. Listen to this CD and enjoy Scandinavian modern jazz at its best!