"Plays the Music of Victor Young"
Jan Lundgren, piano/ Mattias Svensson, bass/ Rasmus Kihlberg, drums
with special guests Deborah Brown, Johnny Griffin & Stacey Kent
All songs recorded at Sun Studio, Copenhagen, August 2000 – January 2001
Jan Lundgren has rapidly established himself since the release of his
first trio album Conclusion in 1994 as one of the most exciting
representatives of contemporary jazz piano.…..His versatility and
desire to learn, as well as his impressive knowledge of jazz, has made
him the ideal pianist for any and all occasions. He has toured with The
Wobbling Woodwinds, a nostalgic Swedish jazz orchestra, but is also a
favourite accompanist of Swedish jazz legends Arne Domnérus and Putte
Wickman. Furthermore, Lundgren works with guitarist Ulf Wakenius, now a
regular with Oscar Peterson, and the up-and-coming tenorist Karl-Martin
Almqvist. He tours with Danish vocalist Katrine Madsen and was for many
years a permanent member of the Malmö-based Monday Night Big Band and
the Baker Boys quartet. He was one of those who had the idea for the
Swedish jazz invasion at New York´s Carnegie Hall in June 2000.
…..The most recent song on this album was written almost a half
century ago, but the music of Victor Young has an everlasting quality
that makes it timeless – as fresh and fascinating as when it was played
for the first time. Several of the tunes are not often heard today, but
they have remained inspirations for jazzmen the world over through the
years. Jan Lundgren is still a young man but he has an impressive
knowledge of music from the past and a great feeling for it. Here he
has turned the spotlight on some jewels from the Great American
Songbook and has given them a new life. Together with his trio and
guest artists, Jan has tackled these immortal songs with a fresh
approach and an unfailing musical standard.
