Different Standards-Ian Mann looks at two similarly themed albums by Swedish pianist Jan Lundgren

Jan Lundgren Trio

“Swedish Standards”

(ACT Music 9022-2)
Jan Lundgren Trio

“European Standards”

(ACT Music 9482-2)
As far as I’m concerned the Swedish pianist Jan Lundgren is a fairly recent discovery. This site contains reviews of his work as part of a trio with trumpeter Paolo Fresu and accordionist

Richard Galliano (“Mare Nostrum” ACT 9466-2) and as a guest performer on singer Trudy Kerr’s “Deja Vu (Jazzizit Records JITCD0746). Lundgren makes memorable contributions to these two very different records and it is now good to hear him in a more conventional piano trio format.

Lundgren (born 1966) came to jazz at the age of twenty having previously studied as a classical musician. Indeed at one time he seemed destined to be a professional classical performer. He then studied jazz at the College of Music in Malmo and immersed himself in the Great American Songbook and the music of pianists such ranging from Erroll Garner through Bud Powell and Bill Evans to Oscar Peterson. He backed several visiting American musicians and recorded a series of albums in both Sweden and the US largely in the bebop idiom.
“Swedish Standards” was initially released on the Swedish Sittel label in 1997 and marked a significant change in direction. Instead of relying on American tunes as the basis for his music Lundgren and his trio chose to improvise on a series of Swedish folk songs. It wasn’t quite the first time this had been done but the album was a runaway success and even made the Swedish pop charts. 

Now that Lundgren has signed for ACT the company have chosen to re-release the album in tandem with the newly recorded “European Standards”. Lundgren and bassist Mattias Svensson are common to both records with the drum chair on the earlier album occupied by Rasmus Kihlburg.  The young Hungarian born drummer Zoltan Csorsz Jr., a another former Malmo student appears on the later release.

Of the two albums it is perhaps surprisingly the earlier disc that is the most successful. For an album of “standards"most of the tunes will be unfamiliar to English listeners and they are all the more refreshing for that. There is a natural homogeneity about the “Swedish Standards” project whereas “European Standards” seems far more contrived. The trio take pieces from all over Europe, each one representing a different country. These are largely a mixture of folk tunes as on the earlier disc and pop songs some of which are frankly over familiar. For example England is represented by Lennon and McCartney’s “Here There And Everywhere”. Some of the tracks include electric piano which the earlier record eschewed. This merely sounds cheesy, perhaps intentionally so, but it didn’t work for me. If I had to pick between these two “Standards” albums “Swedish” would definitely get the vote.

One thing that Lundgren has carried with him since his classical days is a lightness of touch that still imbues his playing and brings a dancing quality to his improvising. He has also thoroughly absorbed the techniques of the great American jazz pianists and his playing is full of bebop and blues phrases alongside that classical touch. It all adds up to a highly individual style that is heard to perfection on “Swedish Standards”. The blend of European melody and American stylings makes for an invigorating record with bassist Svensson and drummer Kihlburg very much part of the creative process, Svensson especially being given plenty of solo space when not driving the trio in exemplary fashion. Kihlburg is both propulsive and colourful and the trio make a great team.

Much of the material is upbeat beginning with “Solen Glimmar Blank Och Trind” which features a stunning bass solo from Svensson. The trio are not afraid to throw in quotes from American standards and two Frank Sinatra songs “You Make Me feel So Young” and “Chicago” can be detected here.
The pace doesn’t slacken through “Sommar, Sommar, Sommar” and the grooving “Joachim Uti Babylon” but “Uti Var Hage” a gentle hymn of praise to the Swedish countryside demonstrates the trio’s abilities in a more ballad orientated mode.
Visa Vid Vindens Angar” swings along in 5/4 and has an almost gospel feel. Once again there is another incredibly articulate solo from the excellent Svensson. The mood is continued on the blues shuffle of “Min Polare Per”. 
“Waltz A Nova” is an ingenious composition by the veteran Swedish pianist Bengt Hallberg that manages to combine waltz and bossa nova rhythms as the title suggests. Svensson carries the waltz half of the equation and also solos eloquently. Kihlburg’s delicate brushwork is also a highlight.

“Sag Det Met Ett Leende” translates as “Say It With A Smile” and is an appropriately joyous outpouring of ideas.  It’s played at breakneck tempo with Lundgren exhibiting great virtuosity. There are solos for bass and drums too with Svensson also taking the melody line as Lundgren improvises above him. It’s invigorating stuff.

Less frenetic but still celebratory in tone “Min Blekingsbygd” is a tribute to Lundgren’s home district with a melody taken from his old school song book “Sing People of Sweden”. The rhapsodic quality of Lundgren’s playing here continues into the closing “Nu Har Jag Fatt Den Jag Vill Ha”, a beautiful piece for solo piano.

“Swedish Standards” features the trio improvising at length in unfettered manner. The new album “European Standards” seems more claustrophobic. Hardly any of the thirteen tunes here exceeds the five minute mark and the trio sometimes seem to be “reigned in”. With so many countries to visit there something of the feel of “if it’s Tuesday it must be Belgium” about it.
Not that Belgium is represented here but Germany, France ,England, Hungary, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Poland, and of course Sweden are.

Things begin promisingly enough with a rendition of Kraftwerk’s “Computer Liebe” representing Germany. Svensson’s monstrous bass groove drives the tune and new drummer Csorz shows up well too. Lundgren puts his ability to swing to good use on an interesting interpretation of this tune. A rousing start. 
I’m less keen on the next two cuts “Les Moulins De Mon Coeur” ( or “The Windmills Of Your Mind” for English speakers) representing France, and the Beatles’ “Here There And Everywhere”.

The melodies are played relatively straight and sometimes veer a little too close to MOR for comfort. Lundgren does explore his subject but probes less deeply than, say, Brad Mehldau and for me the results here are not wholly convincing. Perhaps it’s just that these tunes are so familiar as there is nothing wrong with the musicianship and there are some interesting moments here.
Three less familiar items follow from Hungary (“A Csitari Hegyek Alatt”), Switzerland, (Stets I Truure”) and Spain (“Yo Vivo Enamorao) the first two of these being drawn from traditional folk sources. In this sense they are more closely linked to the concept of “Swedish Standards”. The Spanish piece consciously echoes the music of that country with it’s flamenco flourishes and is the first to really noticeably differ from the trio’s “house style”. With sparkling playing from each member of the trio it’s probably the stand out cut thus far.

Also differing from the “house style” is “Un Homme Et Une Femme” aka “A Man and a Woman” the second French offering. Lundgren plays this on electric piano and while it may be self consciously retro to me it just sounds horrible redolent of a hotel lounge or an elevator despite Csorz’s valiant attempts to give it a contemporary edge. The following “Reginella” (Italy) also tips over into MOR territory and is no great improvement.
Also from Italy “Il Postino” sees the return of the dreaded Fender Rhodes but this time more successfully. The instrument brings an almost hymnal quality to the tune and Svensson’s bass solo is also a highlight.

Kurt Weill’s “September Song” is the second German representation, here given a contemporary groove by Csorsz’s crisp drumming. The tune was actually written after Weill had moved to the US and there is also an American connection to the next tune. Polish pianist and composer Krysztof Komeda wrote the theme tune for the Hollywood horror film “Rosemary’s Baby” which the trio treat in an appropriately sombre manner. Csorz’s delicate drumming and a further solo from the excellent Svensson complement the leader’s lightness of touch at the piano.

The Viennese song “Wien, Du Stadt Meiner Traume” represents Austria with Rudolf Sieczynski’s melody re-arranged by Lundgren and Svensson.

Finally comes Esbjorn Svensson’s “Pavane-Thoughts Of A Septuagenarian”, thoughtfully played by Lundgren on solo piano as a beautiful and heartfelt tribute to his dead friend. 
“European Standards” isn’t a bad record and it certainly has it’s moments but for it’s sheer joie de vivre, sparkling playing and unity of vision the re-released “Swedish Standards” gets the nod. If you only intend to get one of these discs go for the earlier effort.

Critic Rating
“Swedish Standards” 4 Stars
“European Standards” 3 Stars

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