Stefano Bollani piano
Jesper Bodilsen double-bass
Morten Lund drums
The Italian virtuoso, pianist Stefano Bollani, began his collaboration with bassist Jesper Bodilsen and drummer Morten Lund in 2003. The chemistry between the 3 musicians has from the start been exceptional and their albums have been praised by critics and have sold several thousand copies.
The first album MI RITORNI IN MENTE that was released in 2003 was among the 10 best selling records in Italy that year. Following Danish and Italian tours, it became clear that this constellation was destined to be of a more permanent nature. They have been invited to play at clubs and festivals all over the world - their debut in New York was a successful concert at the legendary Birdland Club.
You need not be a musician to understand what bassist Jesper Bodilsen means when he says, “The fascinating thing about playing with Stefano is his brilliant musicality. You never know what’s going to happen; all you know is that it is so very inspiring. His playing combines playfulness and humor with something very deep.”
This is probably in part due to the fact that Bollani has always expressed himself in a wide range of idioms. Although classically trained, he has played jazz and pop since childhood, and even once contemplated a vocalist career. The diversity and unbiased outlook are two traits he shares with bassist Jesper Bodilsen and drummer Morten Lund. After fifthteen years of collaboration on numerous projects, these two musicians are possibly the tightest bass/drum team of their generation on the Danish jazz scene.
The trio’s first album was dominated by Italian tunes and standard type material. On their second album GLEDA the trio finds a melodic and original tone in a music concentrated around Scandinavian songs. This album was nominated for an Australian Bell Award in the category – Best International Jazz Release in 2006.
The carefully picked material enables the music to flow from this trio in a steady current of intelligence, imagination and delight in playing. Bollani finds his phrases in a deep understanding of the harmonic structures, allowing him to display extreme boldness without ever betraying the melody. Bodilsen is a granite foundation, demonstrating a large and flexible tone and an undisputed authority, while Lund spurs them on, constantly varying his sound.
They have succeeded in creating a beautiful, refreshing and modern sound in a wonderfully well-defined recording. Hearing one of Europe’s great pianists interpret these tunes is pure pleasure and together this trio turns the songs into small miracles!
Jesper Bodilsen and Morten Lund both attended Denmark’s Royal Music Academy in Aarhus, and have played together in numerous contexts since then, along the way becoming, as has been frequently noted, the tightest bass/drums team of their generation on the Danish jazz scene. Bodilsen has been playing professionally since 1985 and has performed and/or recorded with Joe Lovano, Tom Harrell, Enrico Rava, Ed Thigpen, John Abercrombie, James Moody, Jeff Tain Watts, Paolo Fresu among others. Lund has performed and recorded with Mike Stern, Curtis Stigers, Cæcilie Norby, Lars Danielsson, Ulf Wakenius, Christian McBride, Avishai Cohen, Chris Minh Doky, Silje Nergaard, Viktoria Tolstoy, Anders Jormin, Bobo Stenson, Lars Jansson, Bob Mintzer, Tom Harrell, Johnny Griffin, Phil Woods, Etta Cameron, NHØP, and many others. Bodilsen and Lund have each appeared on around 100 albums. “Stone in the Water” is their first for ECM.
With “Stone in the Water” the three players move, with immense subtlety, through a fascinating programme that includes new pieces by Bollani and Bodilsen, plus ballads by Caetano Veloso and Antonio Carlos Jobim, and Poulenc’s “Improvisation 13 en mineur”, bringing fresh colours to the piano trio genre.
Tracklist :
Dom de iludir ( Caetano Veloso )
Orvieto ( Jesper Bodilsen )
Edith ( Jesper Bodilsen )
Brigas nunca mais ( A. C. Jobim / V. D. Moraes )
Il cervello del pavone ( Stefano Bollani )
Un sasso nello stagno ( Stefano Bollani )
Improvisation 13 en la mineur ( Francis Poulenc )
Asuda ( Stefano Bollani )
Joker in the Village ( Stefano Bollani )
Vedi anche :
Enrico Rava - New York Days
