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Kresten Osgood Quintet: Kresten Osgood Quintet Plays Jazz

By Mark Corroto
January 18, 2019
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Kresten Osgood Quintet: Kresten Osgood Quintet Plays Jazz

Danish drummer

Kresten Osgood

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Kresten Osgood achieves the musical equivalent of pay-it-forward with Kresten Osgood Quintet Plays Jazz. His ensemble of up-and-coming Copenhagen musicians delivers convincing renditions of some archetypal compositions, plus three originals by the leader.

The choice of music on these two discs exposes the quintet to many types of possible criticism. Listeners familiar with the music of

Thelonious Monk

piano
1917 - 1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Thelonious Monk,

Duke Ellington

piano
1899 - 1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Duke Ellington,

Eric Dolphy

woodwinds
1928 - 1964

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

Charles Mingus

bass, acoustic
1922 - 1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Charles Mingus most certainly have seminal recordings of these artists burned into their brains' hard-drives. The quintet's covers of these classic compositions beg for comparisons and the ultimate judgement. Take a piece like

Wayne Shorter

saxophone
1933 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Wayne Shorter's "Water Babies," heard on

Miles Davis

trumpet
1926 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Miles Davis' recording of the same name. Osgood's quintet absolutely nails the performance, honoring both the atmosphere of the time (1967) and the sound. Erik Kimestad's trumpet and Mads Egetoft's tenor saxophone capture the era's zeitgeist with Osgood transforming into his best

Tony Williams

drums
1945 - 1997

" data-original-title="" title="">Tony Williams imitation. The drummer has been heard with many legends including

Yusef Lateef

woodwinds
1920 - 2013

" data-original-title="" title="">Yusef Lateef,

John Tchicai

saxophone
1936 - 2012

" data-original-title="" title="">John Tchicai,

Sam Rivers

saxophone, tenor
1923 - 2011

" data-original-title="" title="">Sam Rivers and

Paul Bley

piano
1932 - 2016

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul Bley, to name just a few, and also has been favored by his contemporaries

Michael Blake

saxophone, tenor
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Michael Blake,

Jonas Kullhammar

saxophone
b.1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Jonas Kullhammar and

Steven Bernstein

trumpet
b.1961

" data-original-title="" title="">Steven Bernstein. He has the ability to deliver an authentic performance in any circumstance. Perhaps that is why these fifteen tracks work so well.

The iconic music chosen for this recording invites comparison with the originals. Dolphy's "Gazzeloni" doesn't disappoint with its jagged edges, and Mingus' "Reincarnation Of A Lovebird" maintains an elegant, bluesy feel. As for the musical acid test—Monk—you have to marvel at how "Friday The 13th" and "Brilliant Corners" are easily negotiated. Their rendition of "Round Midnight" is shaped not by Jeppe Zeeberg's piano (he plays atmospheric keyboards), but by the abiding trumpet and saxophone of Kimestad and Egetoft. Think Miles and Coltrane.

Osgood hints at things to come for this ensemble with three original pieces. Each composition is an extension of the luminous music covered by the quintet here.

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Track Listing

Gazzeloni; Thoughts From Duke; Little Niles; La Berthe; Blues In My Sleep; Crazy Witch Game; Brilliant Corners; Star Crossed Lovers; Water Babies; Reincarnation Of A Lovebird; Friday The 13th; Monk Fonk; DE DET; Tchicai In Heaven; Round Midnight.

Personnel

Kresten Osgood

drums

Erik Kimestad: trumpet; Mads Egetoft: saxophone; Jeppe Zeeberg: piano, keyboards; Matthias Petri: bass; Kresten Osgood: drums.

Album information

Title: Kresten Osgood Quintet Plays Jazz | Year Released: 2019 | Record Label: ILK Music

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