That was a special moment, yesterday, when returning from the sea with a long grey coat soaked full of rain and water dripping till dusk in the bathroom. Coming to rest. Rune had send me a nice mail and the stream of two forthcoming albums. And, meanwhile I listened to both of them, one before midnight, and one down by the sea, some hours ago. A lovely sky, sun shining, strangers smiling, and when no one was around, except three coloured birds I had never seen before, my beach chair turned into a discotheque playing Mats Gustafsson‘s new Fire! album with verve! And what a fine labour of work is that: he‘s blowing the flute here, too, and in moments, you think you‘re inside the world of Herbie Mann‘s „Stoned Flute“. Just an apparition. Tight rhythms, and a transparency of sound that is definitely not what springs to mind first when thinking of the „style“ we think we know from the Swedish post-free-jazz matador. The man who loves going for the wild seems to be in a very relaxed mood without sacrificing, pun intended, the fire in „Fire!“ The spirit of Albert Ayler is never too far away! – The other high quality work comes from Elephant9. And surprise: Stale Storlokken‘s band also moves into a laid-back version of their otherwise well-known ability to create a decent tour-de-force. Again, Stale‘s keyboard collection evokes strong vibes of old time fusion music, but with a freshness and delicacy far away from smartass-like walking down memory lane. Another excellent new skin for an old ceremony.
Mats Gustafsson – Flute, baritone sax, live electronics
Johan Berthling – Electric bass
Andreas Werliin – Drums
with Goran Kajfes – Quartertone trumpet
Mats Aleklint – Trombone, sousaphone, horn arrangements
Ståle Storløkken – Rhodes piano, Hammond organ, grand piano, Eminent 310, Mellotron, Continuum
Nikolai Hængsle – Electric bass, electric and acoustic guitars
Torstein Lofthus – Drums, percussion