Yes, the legendary violinist Svend Asmussen is still alive! This 5 cd/dvd set shows what has kept him going this 5 score years; an infectious sense of swing emitted from his violin which kept Scandinavians warm though 100 years of frigid winters. He wasn’t as popular in the US as contemporaries Stephane Grappelli or Stuff Smith, but he outlasted them all.
This compilation is well divided in its documentation. The first disc captures him during the Swing and War years 1937-1944 in bands ranging from quartet to small orchestra. The joyful sway of the strings is already felt on a pair of “Jazz Potporri”s while Asmussen delivers some quote vocals here and there. His rich bowing on “My Old Man” glows, while he shows his muscular chops on a rapid fire “Cherokee” and gives a tip of the hat to the Hot Club Quintet on a strutting “Exactly Like You.”
Disc two has him leading some quintets in the mid fifties along with guitarist Jorgen Ingmann who shows his chops on a driving “Cottontail” while Asmussen displays a wide vibrato on “Darktown Strutters Ball” and a velvety tone on “Black and Tan Fantasy.” A duet session with guitarist Ulrick Neumann delivers buoyant reads of “Honeysuckle Rose” and “Hallelujah.” Speaking of meetings, Asmussen has a pair of summit meetings with Grappelli in quintet sessions that swing and sway on the creamy “Honeysuckle Rose” while the two bow and pluck on “Blue Lady.” The band drives hard through “Parisian Thorougfare” and go bel canto on “Someone To Watch Over Me” as they mix counterpoint with swing on “Love Is Back.” This is music to build a dream on.
The teaming of Asmussen with Stuff Smith on the 4th disc is a treat as well. They go wild with the wind on “The C Jam Blues” with friendly challenges going back and forth on “Caravan” some fun vocals come out on “ Oh Lady Be Good’ and the inner gypsy is tapped on “Minor Swing” while bebop is spoken on “Sweet Georgia Brown” for the meetings in ’66 and ’85. The last cd has the 90 year young violinist with a quartet including Jacob Fisher/g on a frenzied “Running Wild,” a lyrical “Bye Bye Blackbird” and a fun “Columbine Polka Mazurka” that leads into Fischer’s guitar crying on “The Mooche” while Asmussen pulls a rabbit out of his hat with a slow and sensuously delicious read of “A Night in Tunisia.”
The dvd has Asmussen with an all start team of Kenny Drew/p, NHOP/b and Ed Thigpen/dr waxing eloquence at Montmartre in Copenhagen in 1986. It all reminds you that music is supposed to make you happy, and this boxed set will cure whatever ails you.
Storyville Records