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Martin Sj?stedt & Stockholm Jazz Orchestra: Horizon

By Neil Duggan
February 13, 2024
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Martin Sjöstedt & Stockholm Jazz Orchestra: Horizon

The Stockholm Jazz Orchestra

" data-original-title="" title="">The Stockholm Jazz Orchestra has been together since 1984—40 years at this writing. That is quite an achievement. especially in an age where large ensembles make little financial sense. In 1986,

Bob Brookmeyer

trombone
1929 - 2011

" data-original-title="" title="">Bob Brookmeyer joined the band as a guest, eventually leading to his compositions featuring on their debut album, Dreams (Dragon, 1988). Subsequently, they have played with artists such as

Maria Schneider

composer / conductor

" data-original-title="" title="">Maria Schneider and

Yellowjackets

band / ensemble / orchestra
b.1977

" data-original-title="" title="">Yellowjackets and undertaken numerous worldwide tours.

Operating similarly to a jazz collective, all the musicians have their careers as accomplished soloists and composers. Since 2011, the band has primarily focused on music composed by its members, with

Martin Sjöstedt

piano
b.1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Martin Sj?stedt having come to the fore as writer and arranger. Horizon features nine compositions, four composed by Sj?stedt, together with five standards. All the arrangements are written to highlight specific soloists. Sj?stedt acts as a pianist in this recording but is also known as a bassist. He has performed with artists such as

Joe Lovano

drums
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Lovano,

Eric Alexander

saxophone, tenor
b.1968

" data-original-title="" title="">Eric Alexander and

Bobo Stenson

piano
b.1944

" data-original-title="" title="">Bobo Stenson.

The album opens with

Herbie Hancock

piano
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Herbie Hancock's "Butterfly." It sets the standard for the album with razor-sharp horn timing in a sprightly call and response, before

Fredrik Kronkvist

saxophone, alto
b.1975

" data-original-title="" title="">Fredrik Kronkvist cuts loose with his alto saxophone. Sj?stedt has a solo at the end that flows and softens the edges.

Throughout the album, Sj?stedt's vision is to create freedom for individuals to solo, much as in a piano trio, but within a framework that embodies a big band. He mainly succeeds with this aim.

Johan Christoffersson

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Johan Christoffersson's alto saxophone catches the ear in Sj?stedt's "Intervals."

Karl Olandersson

trumpet
b.1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Karl Olandersson's trumpet and

Hannes Junestav

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Hannes Junestav's trombone both excel in

Charlie Parker

saxophone, alto
1920 - 1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Charlie Parker's "Donna Lee," while

Peter Dahlgren

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Peter Dahlgren's trombone is sharply focused on

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane's "26-2." All are underpinned by fine work by bassist

Niklas Fernqvist

bass
b.1987

" data-original-title="" title="">Niklas Fernqvist and

Adam Ross

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Adam Ross on drums.

The band's arrangement of

Abdullah Ibrahim

piano
b.1934

" data-original-title="" title="">Abdullah Ibrahim's "The Wedding" is sublime. Notable for

Karl-Martin Almqvist

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Karl-Martin Almqvist's tenor saxophone and Olandersson's trumpet, the band takes Ibrahim's spare and graceful tune and finds new elements of melody, whilst maintaining the tinge of sadness that the tune demands.

Elsewhere, Sj?stedt's composition "Tengtones" displays great combinations between his piano and

Nils Janson

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Nils Janson's trumpet. There is a swing and swagger in another Sj?stedt composition, "Mulgrew." The arrangement of Coltrane's "Equinox" ends the album in great style. The warm and impassioned atmosphere is enhanced by Almqvist's saxophone and

Magnus Broo

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Magnus Broo's trumpet.

Navigating the tricky waters between the freedom of the soloist and the demands of a large ensemble, Sj?stedt's proficient arrangements allow the orchestra to make waves whilst finding channels for the soloist to fit naturally. The orchestra plays flawlessly, often weaving textures that can seamlessly shift from dark to light while the soloists improvise at a high level, making this an attractive example of the jazz orchestra art form.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Butterfly; Intervals; Donna Lee; Horizon; The Wedding; Mulgrew; 26-2; Tengtones; Equinox.

Personnel

Martin Sj?stedt

piano

Fredrik Noren

trumpet

Karl Olandersson

trumpet

Magnus Broo

trumpet

Nils Janson

trumpet

Peter Dahlgren

trombone

Karin Hammar

trombone

Hannes Junestav

trombone

Anders Viborg

trombone, bass

Johan Christoffersson

saxophone

Fredrik Kronkvist

saxophone, alto

Karl-Martin Almqvist

saxophone, tenor

Fredrik Lindborg

saxophone

Andreas Gidlund

saxophone, tenor

Adam Ross

drums

Niklas Fernqvist

bass

Album information

Title: Horizon | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Ubuntu Music

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