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Ulf Wakenius: Signature Edition 2

By John Kelman
April 6, 2010
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For the second in its Signature Edition compilations, dedicated to—and selected by—its vanguard artists, ACT profiles a guitarist who only became an exclusive artist in 2005, with the release of his homage to pianist

Keith Jarrett

piano
b.1945

" data-original-title="" title="">Keith Jarrett—Notes From the Heart—but whose career truly demands retrospection and reevaluation. Unlike Signature Edition 1's fusion guitarist

Nguyen Le

guitar, electric
b.1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Nguyen Le, who has released nearly a dozen labels for Siggi Loch's German label, Swedish six-stringer Ulf Wakenius has, in addition to a handful of ACT guest appearances, only delivered one other album as a leader for the label, 2008's Love is Real—a dedication to pianist

Esbjorn Svensson

piano
1964 - 2008

" data-original-title="" title="">Esbjorn Svensson that's as heartfelt as the guitarist's intimate Jarrett tribute.

Both of Wakenius' ACT discs are well represented on Signature Edition 2, in particular the Svensson tribute, which accounts for four of two dozen career-spanning tracks that date back to his 1992 independent debut as a leader, Venture. Culled from that first date, a tender reading of the classic ballad "Estate" demonstrates the guitarist's early Brazilian proclivities, while his funkier, get down with his bad self side shines through on the buoyant, electrified "I Get It 4 U," both of which feature (amongst others) drummer

Jack DeJohnette

drums
b.1942

" data-original-title="" title="">Jack DeJohnette and bassist/keyboardist/cellist

Lars Danielsson

bass
b.1958

" data-original-title="" title="">Lars Danielsson, the latter a constant companion who appears on a full nineteen tracks.

Though none of the work is represented here, Wakenius gained, perhaps, his greatest international acclaim with

Oscar Peterson

piano
1925 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Oscar Peterson in the pianist's late period trio with Swedish bass legend

Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen

bass
1946 - 2005

" data-original-title="" title="">Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen. Listening to Wakenius' painfully beautiful rendition of "Blame It On My Youth," from First Step (IMOGENA, 1993)—his soft nylon string guitar and

Lars Jansson

piano
b.1951

" data-original-title="" title="">Lars Jansson's synthesized strings recalling

Pat Metheny

guitar
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Pat Metheny's often-covered "Farmer's Trust"—and two tracks culled from his independent 1995 Guitars Unlimited duo with Peter Almqvist, Extraordinaire—where both guitarists consistently navigate the songs' changes with fiery aplomb—it's little surprise that Wakenius caught Peterson's attention.

As virtuosic as Wakenius can be—and his remarkable abilities are in sharp focus on his duet reading of

Egberto Gismonti

guitar
b.1947

" data-original-title="" title="">Egberto Gismonti's enduring "Frevo," with Korean expat vocalist

Youn Sun Nah

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Youn Sun Nah (taken from her 2009 ACT release, Voyage)—it's his profound lyricism that's at the center of much of Signature Edition . Three tracks from Forever You (Stunt, 2004) focus on the guitarist's profound ability to reach the core of the material he plays. Wakenius isn't a prolific writer—only four tracks are original compositions—but he's an astute interpreter, culling material from the Great American Songbook, Danielsson, Brazil—and, of course, Svensson and Jarrett.

It's Jarrett who both opens and closes the set, with Wakenius appropriately dancing on the pianist's set opener of the same name, and—on his own, overdubbing two nylon string guitars—delivering a soft and elegant closer with one of the pianist's most tender compositions, the title track to My Song (ECM, 1978). With Signature Edition 2, Wakenius is positioned as one of contemporary jazz's most imaginative interpreters, an artist who deserves to be on the radar of those who appreciate mainstream guitar with a contemporary edge and unfailingly lyrical bent.

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Track Listing

CD1: Dancing; Forever You; Seven Days of Falling; Frevo; Estate; I Get It 4 U; Bibor No Azora; Arirang; Dodge the Dodo; Hymn; Blame It On My Youth. CD2: Elevation of Love; Venture; Mandela; Tequila Sunrise; The Linden; Good Morning Susie Soho; Jag Vet En Dejlig Rosa; I Skovens Dybe Stille Ro / Jeg Gik Mig Ud En Sommerdag; When I Fall In Love; Albatross; Bb City; My Song.

Personnel

Ulf Wakenius

guitar

Ulf Wakenius: guitar; Lars Danielsson: piano (CD1#1, CD1#7), bass (CD1#1, CD1#3, CD1#5, CD1#6, CD1#8-12, CD2#1-3, CD2#5-7, CD2#9-11), cello (CD1#3, CD1#7), effects (CD1#3), synthesizer (CD1#10); Morten Lund: drums (CD1#1-3, CD1#8, CD1#9, CD2#1, CD2#6); Carsten Dahl: piano (CD1#2, CD1#8); Till Br?nner: trumpet (CD1#3); Lars Jansson: piano (CD1#3, CD1#9, CD2#1, CD2#11), synthesizer (CD1#12, CD2#9, CD2#11) ; Youn Sun Nah: vocals (CD1#4, CD2#5); Bill Evans: saxophone (CD1#5); Niels Lan Doky: piano (CD1#5, CD2#2); Jack DeJohnette: drums (CD1#5, CD2#2); Eric Wakenius: electric guitar (CD1#9); Raymond Karlsson: drums (CD1#10, CD1#12, CD2#9, CD2#11); Viktoria Tolstoy: vocals (CD1#11, CD2#7); Jacob Karlzon: piano (CD1#11); radio.string.quartet.vienna: strings (CD1#9); Peter Danemo: drums (CD1#11); Randy Brecker: trumpet (CD2#2); Peter Almqvist: guitar (CD2#3, CD2#4, CD2#10); Xavier Desandre-Navarre: percussion (CD2#5); Nils Landgren: trombone (CD2#6, CD2#7); Niels-Henning ?rsted Pedersen: bass (CD2#8); Jonas Johansen: drums (CD2#8); Ove Ingemarsson: saxophone (CD2#11).

Album information

Title: Signature Edition 2 | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: ACT Music

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