"How About You"
Andy Martin – Jan Lundgren Quartet
Andy Martin, trombone/ Jan Lundgren, piano/ Chuck Berghofer, bass/
Joe LaBarbera, drums
Fresh Sound Records
Recorded at Entourage Studios, Hollywood, January 8-9, 2006
…..Andy Martin was equally vocal in his praise. “I´d never met or
played with Jan Lundgren before, who was responsible for the fresh,
creative arrangements. His comping sense is second to none. He listened
to everything I played and if I left a gap he filled it to perfection.
Jan´s such a fluid, swinging, inventive soloist – the consummate
musician.”…..Jan´s chosen instrument is an orchestra within itself that
can produce all three of music´s main elements: melody, harmony and
rhythm.
Not only is he an outstanding player with an approach and technique
all his own, but he is capable of replicating the styles of earlier
jazz pianists when called upon to do so. He was brilliant in his debut
recording for Fresh Sounds, emulating both Count Basie and Teddy Wilson
on Bill Perkin´s Perk Plays Prez, the tenorman´s outstanding salute to
Lester Young. It was Herb Geller who recommended a then little-known
Swede to producer Dick Bank. Later the altoist was effusive. "Jan
Lundgren can play the piano in every conceivable jazz style, yet
maintains his own identity as a contemporary innovator. He has
exquisite harmonic sense, perfect timing and intuition."
…..A quartet of this type requires a bassist and drummer of the highest
calibre. Both Chuck Berghofer and Joe La Barbera are major jazz figures
with a wealth of experience in all manner of musical matters…..Chuck
has taken part in at least one thousand recording sessions – jazz and
non-jazz alike. His resumé shows more than six hundred fifty motion
picture soundtracks. He toured with Frank Sinatra from 1991 until the
singer´s retirement……Joe made his first recording in 1971 as a member
of the Woody Herman Orchestra…..He spent eighteen months with the Bill
Evans Trio, an engagement which ended with Bill´s death on September
15, 1980…..
I am convinced it would be impossible to improve on this quartet,
each man being an instrument master. The selection of the music is
confirmed by the greats who have recorded it. Jan Lundgren is a pianist
of extraordinary ability who has impressed all who have played with
him. The late Putte Wickman, one of the world´s greatest clarinettists
with whom Jan worked often and recorded with many times, told writer
Jan Olsson in 2003, "Jan is tremendously inventive, but that´s not
enough. You have to be able to transfer creativity to your instrument.
He does it effortlessly…a masterful musician. I am very impressed with
his versatility, sense of harmony and rhythm. Jan never plays anything
the same way twice – it´s always fresh, the ideas new. He has mastered
many different styles and his repertoire is extraordinary. Finding a
tune that he doesn´t know is nearly impossible. Jazz wasn´t born
yesterday and he has gone right to it´s roots. To be reliable and
consistent, you must know its history – which Jan does totally. On top
of it all, he´s a great guy!"
