"Something to Live For"
Jan Lundgren with Orchestra
Sittel Records
Recorded at Studio 2, The Swedish Radio, Stockholm, October 6-8, 1998.
Jan Lundgren has chosen to record some of the absolute finest
selections from Duke´s repertoire, some very well known and others
lesser known. He also plays a specially composed suite in three
movements: “Reminiscences of A Duke” written by Malmö composer Magnus
Lindén. The work is an outstanding example of “crossover” music and
will undoubtedly attract much attention to this composer who, for me,
is a new name.
…..I was not aware until now of the amazing classical piano
technique which Jan Lundgren possesses. For Magnus Lindén´s composition
in three movements it is necessary to have command of both “classical”
and jazz techniques, something that all three members of the trio
share. “Pace” is taken at a furious tempo. Magnus Lindén twists and
turns the music in all directions in the best Bengt Hallberg-manner,
and the trio respond by twisting and turning it in the best Jan
Lundgren-manner. “Mood” is made up of thematic material from “Prelude
to a kiss”, “Heaven” and “Mood Indigo” and possibly some other
Ellingtonian phrases which I haven´t yet discovered. This middle
movement is the one which most clearly has a relation to
twentieth-century “classical” music. It occasionally sounds like a
Bartok piano concerto, but transforms itself smoothly into the jazz
idiom…..Exquisite! The third and last movement “Speed “ turns out in
fact to mean “different speeds”. After a slow introduction the tempo
changes to fast which then alternates back and forth to half-tempo –
one of those typically swinging jazz groves…..This is “crossover” music
at its best! It occupies a warm place in my heart.
“Looking Glass” is a solo piano feature for Jan. It is an Ellington
ballad which is very seldom heard. This is mood music in the best
meaning of the word. And as for that Mr. Lundgren… what a touch he has!
