Susana Santos Silva, Torbjorn Zetterberg, Hampus Lindwall - If Nothing Else (2015)

If you heard “Almost Tomorrow”, the duo recording by Susana Santos Silva and Torbjorn Zetterberg previously released by Clean Feed, and found it “introspective” and “exploratory”, take a breath. This goes much deeper into the hidden zones of our inner selves, showing that intimacy and open communication isn’t something only possible between two individuals – sometimes it may take three or more people to achieve it. Here, the addition of Hampus Lindwall brings the music more close to the center of the Earth and to the confines of our souls. Of course, the thick, low and multilayered register of Lindwall’s organ contributes to that impression. With Zetterberg’s double bass, it brings the music down, leaving to Silva’s trumpet the task to go up, like a bird defying gravity. Not always: there’s moments when the organ flies with her, reinforcing the precarious equilibrium of this music. This trio set is less pacifically labeled as jazz – Hampus Lindwall is a widely recognized performer of classical contemporary and 20th century written music, and the titular organist of the Saint-Esprit Church, in Paris. But, like his Portuguese and Swedish partners here, he also improvises, and does it masterly. That means the resulting music isn’t only beautiful, but also emotionally rewarding. At the same time it defies your intellect, a rare thing when dealing with such a spiritual type of situation. Not to be missed.