Emil Brandqvist Trio - Falling Crystals (2016) [Hi-Res]

Letting the cat out of the bag right away when introducing a new CD might not be ‘stylish’, but the Emil Brandqvist Trio has honestly delivered a masterpiece called “Falling Crystals” (SKP 9135). Over the last few years drummer Emil Brandqvist from Gothenburg, Sweden played his way into the intimate upper ranks of European Jazz; his trio stands for low-key, picturesque, touching melodies and sounds that remain with listeners. Together with pianist Tuomas Turunen from Finland and Max Thornberg from Stockholm on double bass, one of the trademarks for this multinational Scandinavian ensemble has been that the trio eagerly brings in guests to the studio to put the finishing brushstrokes on their audiophonic paintings. Much like designing a portrait, their music builds to reveal more and more layers. On “Breathe Out” (SKP 9115), their first album for SKIP in 2013, it was the Sjöströmska String Quartet from Gothenburg that set gem-like accents. For the following album entitled “Seascapes” (SKP 9128), Emil Brandqvist and his trio invited a number of woodwinds and horns to add greater density to the atmospheric settings: flutes, clarinets, bass clarinets and flugelhorns. That the album earned itself a ranking at No. 14 on the German Jazz Charts can be traced back to the fact that the trio gave a slew of highly acclaimed concerts at festivals such as Palatia Jazz or in Hamburg, Germany. Those live gigs proved that the trio has no trouble fulfilling even the highest of expectations set by audiences accustomed to international acts.

Last year’s concert-goers received an early inkling of how the trio has evolved. “Falling Crystals” enhances the listeners’ range via moods and compositional structures that underscore just how exceptional these three ‘northern lights’ are. The aura and music were sensitively captured by Åke Linton, a Swedish studio legend whose credentials already include work with Bobo Stenson, Lars Danielsson, the Esbjörn Svensson Trio, Magnus Öström, Joakim Milder and Dan Berglund. “The Sea Begins To Freeze” reveals an opening theme reminiscent of film noir in which Emil Brandqvist has revived his collaboration with the Sjöströmstra String Quartet. On the composition by Tuomas Turunen named “A Day In Memories”, synthesizer inserts turn the tables to astonishing effect. On “Longing”, bass-player Max Thornberg lets his bowing display a North African coloring to match the desire in the track’s name. “Shine” is equally surprising: Despite all the Nordic roots, here the trio shows that it too was raised on the kind of Jazz made famous by great trios ‘way back when’ in the USA. The whole album sparkles with solid compositions, a lasting sound where the trio definitively ‘shows its stuff’.

Emil Brandqvist, drums
Tuomas A. Turunen, piano
Max Thornberg, double bass

Tracklist:
01. Emil Brandqvist Trio - While We Are Here (5:06)
02. Emil Brandqvist Trio - Soaring (3:49)
03. Emil Brandqvist Trio - Crystals (4:00)
04. Emil Brandqvist Trio - Through the Forest (3:38)
05. Emil Brandqvist Trio - The Sea Begins to Freeze (5:55)
06. Emil Brandqvist Trio - Longing (5:05)
07. Emil Brandqvist Trio - A Day in Memories (8:50)
08. Emil Brandqvist Trio - Across the Waters (4:14)
09. Emil Brandqvist Trio - Early Spring (3:47)
10. Emil Brandqvist Trio - Shine (3:37)
11. Emil Brandqvist Trio - Guds Gröna Ängar (4:19)
12. Emil Brandqvist Trio - The Oak Trees (6:08)