Downstream by Staffan Abeleen Quintet, released on Philips in 1966.

Staffan Abeleen may not be a household name, but he's got a heck of a great group – and one of the best European combos we've heard from the time! Abeleen's is a pianist, and he's working here with Lars Farnlof on cornet and Bjorn Netz on tenor – and it's clear that the group have taken some cues from the classic Cannonball Adderley Sextet of the Riverside years – working here in that "soul jazz into modern" style that showed up on a lot of the Cannonball-produced records from the same period – a mode that's still somewhat grounded in a rootsy, rhythm-based sound – but which also breaks out with some incredible tones, colors, and modes – shading in the set with a depth that we never would have expected! Rhythm is from Paul Danielsson on bass and Bosse Skoglund on drums - Dusty Groove

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ6E11hqb4o

#StaffanAbeleen #Jazz #SoulJazz #HardBop #Music #SwedishJazz

Landscapes by Rena Rama, released on Japo in 1977.

Tyran Grillo wrote for ECM Reviews:

Saxophonist, flutist, and composer Lennart Åberg is among ECM’s sleeper talents. Having graced the label only as sideman to 1994’s Dona Nostra, his brilliance was saved instead for the limited JAPO imprint. On this record he is joined by fellow Swedes Bobo Stenson (piano) and Palle Danielsson (bass), both familiar to ECM listeners. Perhaps not is American drummer Leroy Lowe, who rounds out this incarnation of the quartet known as Rena Rama and played with the group from 1975 to 1983. Born 1944 on a Pittsburg farm, Lowe began playing drums in his high school marching band and later befriended such greats as Billy Hart in his quest for a personal voice...

https://ecmreviews.com/2012/11/16/landscapes/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNqcUxzN8_8&list=OLAK5uy_n5WxUuoZDJwhyWVc5o5GEwqzKBv9k2IiM&index=1

#RenaRama #Japo #ECMReviews #BoboStenson #PalleDanielsson #LennartÅberg #Jazz #SwedishJazz #Music

Younger Than Springtime by Jan Johansson, released on Artist in Sweden in 1972.

Review by Alex Henderson

When the 16 selections heard on Younger Than Springtime were recorded from 1959-61, Jan Johansson was in transition. The pianist's revolutionary jazz treatments of traditional Swedish folk songs were a few years away, and he had yet to experiment with modal playing and avant-garde jazz. At that point, Johansson was still playing mostly hard bop, which is the style that dominates Younger Than Springtime. This CD gets off to an impressive start with four recordings from Johansson's first session with alto saxophonist Arne Domnerus in 1959: "Where or When," "There's a Small Hotel," "Sometimes I'm Happy" and "Exactly Like You." After that, Johansson is heard as a trio pianist in 1959 and 1960 with Dan Jordan or Sture Nordin on bass and William Schiopffe or Egil Johansen on drums...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pw83LKkYVoc&list=RDpw83LKkYVoc&start_radio=1

#JanJohansson #JazzPiano #SwedishJazz #Music #Jazz #ArneDomnerus

Innertrio from 1962 is a music album with jazz pianist Jan Johansson and his trio released on Megafon in 1962.

Jan Johansson (16 September 1931 – 9 November 1968) was a Swedish jazz pianist.[1] His album Jazz på svenska (Jazz in Swedish) is the best selling jazz release ever in Sweden, with over 400,000 copies sold[2] and more than 50 million streams on Spotify. He was the father of former HammerFall drummer Anders Johansson and Stratovarius keyboardist Jens Johansson, who run Heptagon Records which keeps their father's recordings available.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty1bHgDnUiA&list=RDty1bHgDnUiA&start_radio=1

#jazzpiano #JanJohansson #jazzpianotrio #swedishjazz

8 pieces Johansson is a music album by Jan Johansson trio, published in 1961 on the label Megafon. It was awarded the Orchestra Journal's Golden Record for the best Swedish jazz record of the year. - Wikipedia (translated from Swedish)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBA3NbcjcFE

#JanJohansson #jazzpiano #jazzpianotrio #swedishjazz

Love and Understanding
Citadel/Room 315 Sweden 1974
Mike Westbrook
featuring John Surman, released on My Only Desire records in 2020

"..Surman - playing baritone and soprano saxophone, plus bass clarinet - is in sumptuously freewheeling form throughout, soaring between wild expression and wonderfully controlled playing, perfectly complimenting Mike's compositions that gracefully move from jazz-rock, ballads, to tightly composed orchestral themes and more avant-garde moments. Backed by the 16-piece Swedish Radio Jazz Group led by saxophonist Arne Domnérus and Argentinian trumpeter Americo Bellotto, the group comprised the finest players on the Swedish scene, including trumpeters Jan Allan and Bertil Lövgren, guitarist Rune Gustafsson, pianist Bengt Hallberg and drummer Egil Johansen.."

https://westbrookjazz.co.uk/mikewestbrook/love_understanding_cd.shtml

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAlMsAncNOc&list=PLvn_WNPfRtU2QjLH-jttoRh6LlVE8KMKy&index=6

#mikewestbrook #britjazz #johnsurman #swedishjazz

..."You Must Believe In Spring", released in 1974 on Polydor Norway, on which she takes on the compositions of the legendary French (film) composer, pianist, singer and arranger Michel Legrand ("Thomas Crown Ist Nicht Zu Fassen", "Le Mans", "Yentl").

On the six numbers of the album "You Must Believe In Spring", arranged by trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg, the artist presents further, hitherto unheard facets of her interpretative skills. Always committed to the new and the artistic challenge, she moves brilliantly, inspired and stylistically confidently between chanson, bossa nova, rock fusion, avant-garde and easy listening. In addition, pianist Ole Koch-Hansen and guitarist Philip Catherine convince with fascinating solo excursions, while bassist Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen and drummer Alex Riel ensure a sovereign rhythm work. - Jazz Messngers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LbGk4Kh4Es

#karinkrog #swedishjazz #vocaljazz #michellegrand #spring #jazz #1974inmusic #PalleMikkelborg

Ended yesterday and started Friday with the eponymous debut LP by Rena Rama a Swedish jazz band formed in 1971, noted for mixing jazz, unusual time signatures, and African and Asian folk themes.

Its original personnel included Lennart Åberg (saxophone, flute), Bobo Stenson (piano), Palle Danielsson (bass), and Bengt Berger (drums). Both Stenson and Åberg previously had worked with Red Mitchell, and Danielsson with Steve Kuhn. Berger had previously studied percussion in India. Stenson had already recorded his first trio LP titled Underwear (ECM).

Recordings with the original lineup include the LP Rena Rama on the Caprice label, recorded in Stockholm in 1973 - Wikipedia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFlUxnBunj0

#renarama #LennartÅberg #bobostenson #PalleDanielsson #bengtberger #swedishjazz #worldjazz #DebutAlbum