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Sven Ake Johansson: Sven Ake Johansson: Jazzbox

By Mark Corroto
August 23, 2013
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Sven Ake Johansson: Sven Ake Johansson: Jazzbox

Funny how listening to the five-CD Jazzbox by free jazz drummer

Sven-Åke Johansson

drums
b.1943

" data-original-title="" title="">Sven-?ke Johansson may remind you of the British punk rock band The Clash's first hit single "Train In Vain" (1980). Like Joe Strummer and Mick Jones, Johansson's career has been one that has worked to challenge the language of American music. In The Clash's case, it was American pop and disco. For Johansson and his European colleagues (

Peter Brötzmann

woodwinds
1941 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Peter Br?tzmann,

Manfred Schoof

trumpet
b.1936

" data-original-title="" title="">Manfred Schoof,

Peter Kowald

bass, acoustic
1944 - 2002

" data-original-title="" title="">Peter Kowald, and

Alexander von Schlippenbach

piano
b.1938

" data-original-title="" title="">Alexander von Schlippenbach) it was the 1960's New Thing of

Albert Ayler

saxophone, tenor
1936 - 1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Albert Ayler,

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane and

Eric Dolphy

woodwinds
1928 - 1964

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

In the middle of recording The Clash's seminal London Calling (CBS, 1979), the rebellious punk band went about making an American-styled R&B single. "Train In Vain" sounded more American, then American singles as it shot up to number one in the States. Johansson's career has tracked the European free scene since his earliest recordings with Brotzmann—Machine Gun (FMP, 1968), Schlippenbach's Globe Unity Orchestra,

Per Henrik Wallin

" data-original-title="" title="">Per Henrik Wallin and in his own projects. Although he branched out into musical theatre, painting and design, he has kept pace with European jazz collaborating with Andrea Neumann,

Axel Dorner

trumpet
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Axel Dorner,

Sten Sandell

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Sten Sandell,

Raymond Strid

drums
b.1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Raymond Strid, and

Rudi Mahall

clarinet, bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Rudi Mahall.

With Jazzbox he proffers American jazz, circa 1955, in a more compelling presentation than, well, American jazz musicians.

Heard on Vol. I and Vol. II, his Cool Quartett is easily mistaken for a

Miles Davis

trumpet
1926 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Miles Davis session. Johansson's command to maintain the melody is paramount. The quartet is fronted by trumpeter Axel D?rner, known as a minimalist improviser, who has a knack for interpreting the music of

Thelonious Monk

piano
1917 - 1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Thelonious Monk, as he does in the band Die Entt?uschung, and pianist Zoran Terzic. Covering the Great American Songbook, the four, including bassist Jan Roder play

George Gershwin

composer / conductor
1898 - 1937

" data-original-title="" title="">George Gershwin, Rodgers and Hart,

Cole Porter

composer / conductor
1891 - 1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Cole Porter, and

Jerome Kern

arranger
1895 - 1945

" data-original-title="" title="">Jerome Kern. Knowing the pedigree of these players, you might expect the avant-garde, but the melody doesn't fall far from the tree. The cleverness here is the simple commitment to the original song. The quartet's less is obviously more. Even the less than familiar tracks penned by D?rner (there are five) are strikingly spare and beautiful.

The quartet stretches to the Cool Sextett with the inclusion of saxophonists

Tobias Delius

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Tobias Delius and Henrik Waldsdorff on three tracks recorded live in 2009. In this setting the music expands and so does the presentation. Delias honks a bit, intertwining his horn with Waldsdorff as the music migrates from the studio to the club. Johansson revisits vocals on "Night In Tunisia" and "You've Changed" as he did on Hudson Riv (Grob, 2003) with his unique Swedish/German accent. His accent draws back the curtain for those mistaken into believing the music is just a reissue from the Prestige Records vaults.

The two strongest volumes might be Tune Up, a quartet with Delias, Roder, and Japanese-born, Berlin native pianist

Aki Takase

piano
b.1948

" data-original-title="" title="">Aki Takase and the trio Candy with D?rner and bassist Joe Williamson. Takase is a proper interpreter of Monk and

Duke Ellington

piano
1899 - 1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Duke Ellington. Her comping behind the saxophonist's blabbing horn provides a running commentary until she takes an aside of a solo on "Tangerine." The music here seems rooted in the antics of the Amsterdam's New Dutch Swing and perhaps that is the influence of Delias.

In Trio, the strength of Johansson's vision is amplified. With brushes on his drum pads, he spurs D?rner to the clearest expression of melody and the brightest music. Their double- time take on "The Way You Look Tonight" and the

Sonny Rollins

saxophone
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Sonny Rollins favorite "I'm An Old Cowhand" are as hip today as they were in 1957. The disc ends with "Stars Fell On Alabama," a song certain to stump nearly anyone taking a blindfold test. They will certainly identify the Americans

Freddie Hubbard

trumpet
1938 - 2008

" data-original-title="" title="">Freddie Hubbard or maybe Tony Fruscella.

Cool Quartett Vol. I

Tracks: Star? Eyes; Foreground Behind; Whats; Every Time You Say Goodby; Undreground Above; My Heart Stood Still; Background Beneath; Embraceable You.

Personnel: Axel D?rner: trumpet; Zoran Terzic: piano; Jan Roder: bass; Sven-?ke Johansson: drums.

Cool Quartett Vol. II

Tracks: The Last time I Saw Paris; Easy to Love; Half-Foreground; Star Eyes (alt.take); All of You; Half-Background; Lisa; I've Told Every Little Star.

Personnel: Axel D?rner: trumpet; Zoran Terzic: piano; Jan Roder: bass; Sven-?ke Johansson: drums.

Coolquartett / Sextett

Tracks: Bernie's Tune; Broadway; Long Ago And Far Away; Mine; Sat It Isn't So; I'm In Love; Let's Face The Music And Dance; Night in Tunisia; Tune Up; You've Changed.

Personnel: Axel D?rner: trumpet; Zoran Terzic: piano; Jan Roder: bass; Sven-?ke Johansson: drums, vocals; Tobias Delius: tenor saxophone; Henrik Walsdorff: alto saxophone; Antonio Borghini; bass.

Tune Up

Tracks: The Song Is Yo?U; Tangerine; Tune Up; Valse Hot; What A Difference A Day Makes; What's New; Old Black Magic; Darn The Dream; Cool Blues; Day By Day.

Personnel: Tobias Delius: tenor saxophone; Sven-?ke Johansson: drums; Jan Roder, contrabass; Aki Takase: piano.

Candy

Tracks: Candy; You stepped Out Of A Dream; Over Man; To Close For Comfort; I'll Be Seeing You; The Way You look Tonight; I'm An Old Cowhand; Old Devil Moon; I Can't Get Started; Stars Fell On Alabama.

Personnel: Axel D?rner: trumpet; Sven-?ke Johansson: drums; Joe Williamson: contrabass.

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Track Listing

Personnel

Sven-?ke Johansson

drums

Album information

Title: Sven Ake Johansson: Jazzbox | Year Released: 2013 | Record Label: S?j

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