Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Alex J?nsson: Heathland

Alex J?nsson: Heathland

By Mark Sullivan
April 14, 2020
View read count

Danish guitarist/composer

Alex Jønsson

guitar
b.1985

" data-original-title="" title="">Alex J?nsson returns with the same trio heard on Heart Of Gold: Live In Aarhus (Self Produced, 2016), with bassist

Jens Mikkel Madsen

bass
b.1988

" data-original-title="" title="">Jens Mikkel Madsen and drummer

" data-original-title="" title="">Andreas Skamby. This is a studio recording with richer sound, but the band's music shows considerable growth beyond that. The title tune opens the set, a rubato exercise in three-way communication, which covers a lot of ground in its brief duration.

J?nsson employs more electronic processing here, starting with the ghostly, processed echo (backwards and an octave higher) of "Stillness." ..."and Darkness Crept In" features a distorted harmonizer, recalling the grit of "War Is Peace" on the earlier album. It also displays the drums in full force, something the earlier intimate live recording seemed to restrain. "The Sun Is Slowly Rising" has a slow dynamic build, with a processed, echoing guitar sound. "Paul" is very rubato, its chattering drums and guitar textures/melodies held together by droning bass.

"Re: Herr Sehr Schwer" is an upbeat, melodic tune with a call back to the Americana sound of the previous album's title tune: a striking contrast to the rest of the program, and an extroverted version of the group sound . "Emu" closes the album with an atmospheric guitar loop and melodic bass riffs, concluding with a final slow fade. Heathland presents a satisfying program, with greater dynamic and timbral range. The comparison to countryman

Jakob Bro

guitar
b.1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Jakob Bro's trio recordings is even more apt here, both for the overall sound and the admirable conciseness.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Heathland ; Stillness ; ��and Darkness Crept In ; Out of Shape ; Icicles ; The Sun Is Slowly Rising ; Paul; Re: Herr Sehr Schwer ; Emu

Personnel

Alex J?nsson

guitar

Jens Mikkel Madsen

bass

Andreas Skamby

drums

Album information

Title: Heathland | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: Self released

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Jazz From South Africa - Hugh Masake...
< Previous

The Road to Fusion - Lloyd, Burton, ...
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.