Alex Riel / Bo Stief / Carsten Dahl – Our Songs (Storyville Records)

Always curious and always looking for new challenges, Alex Riel has been an important innovator of modern drumming in Europe. He was among the very first to record a “free” solo on his debut album in 1965 and he was a founding member of the beat-group Savage Rose, while also playing with Bill Evans, Ben Webster, Dexter Gordon and being a member of Monica Zetterlund’s quartet. From the last 20 years we know him for his work with Enrico Pieranunzi, Kenny Werner, Mads Vinding and many others.

On “Our Songs”, Alex Riel brings together two musical “playmates”: The legendary bassist Bo Stief, who like Riel, belongs to the generation of Danish musicians who started their professional careers at Montmartre in the 60s, and Carsten Dahl, one of Europe’s most innovative piano players.

The trio plays in balance with themselves and each other, and simply lets the music flow unhindered. So where, then, does the music flow? Basically, this is classic piano-trio jazz, and while Carsten Dahl is “in charge”, he never overshadows the trio’s creative affinity. Quite appropriately, the mood is established with, “My Song” a classic Keith Jarrett number. In many ways Riel’s playing is discreet, often poetic, so it’s fitting that Dahl has dedicated his composition for the album, “The Poet” to Alex. We are also treated to a couple of melancholic Swedish folk songs reminiscent of legendary pianist Jan Johansson, plus the trio’s own folklore-inspired “Høstdansen” (“Harvest Dance”). Along the way there are also four freshly interpreted American jazz standards, including John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” as a lyrical ballad - in direct contrast to the high-powered original version.

The personal and musical friendship of the three musicians is obvious. It's playful, creative and beautiful when Alex Riel, Bo Stief and Carsten Dahl play their songs. 

1. My Song 03:44

2. Høstdansen 02:58

3. Moon River 05:22

4. Den milde dag er lys og lang 02:26

5. The Poet 05:15

6. Vem kan segla forutan vind 04:00

7. My Funny Valentine 04:44

8. Stella by Starlight 05:14

9. Giant Steps 03:28

10. Jag vet en dejlig rosa 02:30

11. Drømte mig en drøm 03:08

Alex Riel – Drums

Bo Stief – Double Bass

Carsten Dahl – Piano

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Jørgen Emborg & Steve Swallow - Over the Rainbow (Remastered 2021) May 7, Storyville Records

This 1992 set showcases the work of the Danish pianist/composer Jørgen Emborg with a quintet including his specially invited guest, the American bass-guitarist Steve Swallow. The leader (born in Frederiksberg on March 29 1953) had already packed a lot of musical experience into his career. Bursting upon the scene as early as 1975 at the famous Dunkerque Jazz Festival, he had become a permanent member of the Danish Radio Big Band, alongside working with such varied visiting artists as Eddie Harris, Red Rodney and Dee Dee Bridgewater. Now described as probably the most important composer of contemporary Danish jazz, he created two significant albums incorporating vocalist Mona Larsen (Ships In The Night and Face The Music) and Moonsongs with Susanne Palbol in 2005.

The career of Steve Swallow (born October 4 1940) has been equally broad-based. Taking up the bass only at the age of 18 after studying piano and trumpet, he soon joined Paul Bley and, with Bley, the free-jazz edition of the Jimmy Giuffre trio; at the other end of the stylistic spectrum, he played later in the 1960s for Art Farmer, Gary Burton and, with Burton, the Stan Getz quartet. An early champion of the writing of Carla Bley, he became her sideman (and eventually her partner) while also developing his own skills as a composer; later, he also became a successful free-lance producer, working on albums by John Scofield, for instance.

Most significantly, beginning in the 1960s, he has taken the bass-guitar from being an instrument only accepted in rock or fusion contexts to one which, through his mobile lines and veiled, singing tone, has helped to set the standard for bass playing in even acoustic jazz groups. Interestingly, Swallow’s acceptance of the JAZZPAR invitation to appear as the guest of Jørgen Emborg was, as it turned out, chronologically linked in with another guest appearance he made on a recording project by the great Danish bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen. And it’s appropriate here to mention the inclusion in Emborg’s group of drummer Alex Riel who, although he had previously collaborated with Emborg, first became widely known as NHØP’s colleague in the house rhythm section of Copenhagen’s Montmartre Club in the 1960s.

Riel had preceded Emborg in being selected as one of the JAZZPAR featured artists in 1990, as had the young saxophonist Fredrik Lundin who, as composer, contributed one of the works for Lee Konitz’s performance with the JAZZPAR Nonet, also recorded as part of JAZZPAR’s 1992 celebrations.

The history of the JAZZPAR AWARDS constitutes, in retrospect, a significant development in the recognition of jazz by international arbiters of taste, and by distributors of monetary recognition. Set up by the Danish Jazz Center and sponsored by Skandinavisk Tobakskompagni, it was the first award in the jazz field to offer an international nominee not only the exposure of a concert series, but the donation of a statuette and a significant cash prize (amounting to 200,000 Danish kroner). Between 1990 and 2004, the award was made to several American performers but also, reflecting the history of the music itself, to six Europeans (Tony Coe, Django Bates, Martial Solal, Marilyn Mazur, Enrico Rava and Aldo Romano). 

1. Uneven Thinking

2. Waltz In Four

3. Forgotten Truth

4. Over The Rainbow

5. My Kind Of Blues

6. On The Second Day

7. Some Other Time

8. Password

9. Say After Me Please

10. Sweak Spedish

11. One Step At A Time

12. Impatience

13. Temporary Agreement

Jørgen Emborg - Piano

Steve Swallow - Bass Guitar

Fredrik Lundin - Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone

Alex Riel - Drums

Lisbeth Diers - Percussion

Recorded at Sun Studio in Copenhagen, March 28th and 29th, 1992

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Enrico Pieranunzi / Mads Vinding / Alex Riel - Yesterdays (Live) SUNDANCE MUSIC 2017

Heine Hansen Trio - Signature (2016) STORYVILLE RECORDS

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Heine Hansen Trio - Signature (2016)

Heine Hansen’s piano is playful, even bubbling and almost singing, like an early bird in the first days of spring. On his long awaited debut album, Hansen unfolds his signature sound on eleven new compositions of his own. Until now, he was best known as a sideman – modest, but highly respected as an elegant accompanist. In all probability Denmark’s most ethereal, swinging jazz pianist.

A signature is something so personal it can’t be replicated; Heine Hansen plays the piano with a unique sense for applying rhythm and melody. With Thomas Fonnesbæk on bass and Alex Riel on drums, a truly beautiful symbiosis of eloquent melodies and precise playfulness emerges like rays of sunshine finding their way through green leaves.

Heine Hansen is a talent in his own league: This spring, he was awarded the Ben Webster Award of 2016. Heine Hansen will be performing with Riel and Fonnesbæk during Copenhagen Jazz Festival 2016 (July 1-10). Signature underscores Hansen’s merits and connects Scandinavian simplicity with graceful warmth.

Heine Hansen (piano)

Thomas Fonnesbæk (bass)

Alex Riel (drums)

You're Gone And I Remain

In-between Black And White

Gee Blues

Moody Dance

Old-Timer

Level Crossings

Butterfly

Low Profile

Awaiting

The Colour Red

Wind

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