Danish jazz hasn’t really made an impact on the US, but in Denmark pianist Carsten Dahl is one of the Machers of the scene. Here are a pair of recent releases that show some originality from Scandinavia
He fronts a quartet with Jesper Zeuthen/as, Nils Davidsen/b and Stefan Pasborg/dr for his group The Carsten Dahl Experience. This is their third album together, and all of the music is band composed and arranged. Zeuthen’s got a penetrating sound on his horn, opening “Reverentia” with a clarion call, while the tunes such as “Troubadour” and “Consistence” mix free form improvisation with symbiotic interplay. Dahl’s got a rich and dark touch on the ivories, demonstrated on the thoughtful “Dear Keith” and while much of the material is spontaneous-sounding, thre is always and underlying pocket to keep your balance with and hold on two for stability.
Under The Rainbow is a trio with Dahl along with Arild Andersen/b and John Christensen/dr, and this is a their second release, a followup to the intriguing Space is the Place from a couple of years ago. This album is a collection of band composed originals as well, but the interplay is quite a bit more subtle and conversant, with a series of six tunes numbered 1-8“Under The Rainbow” and a pair of creative interludes supplied by the leader. Christensen’s work on the brushes and ride cymbals serve as creative points of feedback, and Andersen’s pulsating bass varies between keeping things together and wandering off to a unknown trail. Trio work that rivals Europeans like Stenson as well as Americans like Mehldau.
Storyville Records