Bo Lindenstrand Live

Bo Lindenstrand

Live

PB7 037

The traditions of Jazz in Sweden do not follow a straight line of evolution, but rather like a tree, reveal a rich array of branches. And one of the more exciting eras was the
one in which all these traditions and expressions of Jazz were carried out in parallel in the small clubs and bars. It was one evening in the 70’s I dove into the club ”Gamlingen” which at the time was a back-door club to the more reknown ”Stampen” which has been an institution for the Stockholm community. The saxophonist Bo Lindestrand was playing with pianist Lars Sjösten. Halfway through the show, I was drawn in by Bo’s lyrical quality and his whole mode of invention. There is a peculiar softness to his improvising which stretches far beyond just the Parker idiom, which of
course was the musical ground he came from.
For many years Bo Lindestrand was one of the figures in Sweden, who saw to the survival of the art form. He, possibly too, was the most discrete. These two CDs,
spanning the years from 2008 until 2013 and which were recorded at various places round about Stockholm, reveal a unique artistry, with striking renditions and
moments: a standard reportoire in which all the details create a dancing lightness, a ballad’s melodic line is bent, seemingly to speak with itself, resembling a form of
dialogue. Short, convoluted phrases thus make a song swing ever more freely. Short interloping phrases make a song swing thus ever more freely.
This form of Jazz is close in nature to the spoken language, and is as a result of an emotional nature, in regards to every single melodic tone. It is therefor Bo can as well dedicate himself to the ecstacies of longing, which both Jazz and the alto saxophone are so richly filled with.
The documentation of clubs and venues reveal to us that Jazz has nonetheless lead a rich life, even if somewhat sporadic. These are some of the clubs of mention:
Underbara Bar, Glenn Miller Cafe, Marabouparken, Glasbrukgatan… some places disappear but others appear and the musical quality is oftentimes very high.
An example from the first disc is a performance from Underbara Bar, a concert full of discovery: a melodious vibraphone played by Jonas Kock, the bassist Lars Ekman
and the drums in the hands of Erik Dalbäck. The group’s collective ”tightness” or mass as you will, gives Bo freedom as well as vastness. Or the concert from
Marabouparken, with pianist Leo Lindberg, bassist Ove Gustafsson and Bo, intimate and up-close. It simply is beautiful.
Bo Lindestrand is an inventive interpreter of melody, as in ”Light Blue” where he latches on to the song’s girth, then pulls and grinds. Here we also get to hear a typical
and most personal solo by Göran Strandberg. Ali Djeridi’s drumming gives the music even more weight, like a sense in mutual.
Bo Lindestrand is fun to rediscover, either with knowledge of a Parker idiom and its iconic phrases, or when looking at his very uniqueness – also, the supporting musicians. They all carried out their artistry in maybe unsympathetic times in regards to a Jazz era, they only had their brilliance to rely upon.


Erik Centerwall, author and music critic

CD1.

Underbara Bar, 2008-03-25
BL altsaxofon; Jonas Kock vibrafon; Lars Ekman bas; Erik Dahlbäck
trummor

  1. Blues i F (unknown) 06:10
  2. Skylark (Hoagy Carmichael 1930) 06:27
  3. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes ( Jerry Brainin 1948) 06:36
  4. The Very Thought Of You (Ray Noble 1934) 08:59

Glenn Miller Café, 2011-04-14
BL altsax; Göran Strandberg piano; Petter Olofsson bas; Konrad Agnas
trummor

  1. Klactoveedsedstene (Charlie Parker 1947) 05:38
  2. You Can’t Go Home Again (Don Sebesky ) 07:16

Marabouparken 2012-05-06
BL altsax; Leo Lindberg piano; Ove Gustafsson bas; Staffan Ålander
trummor

  1. You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To (Cole Porter 1943) 05:00
  2. Little Esther (Henry Glover 1953) 06:28
  3. Once In A While (Michael Edwards 1937) 05:31

Total playing time 58:05

CD2.

Glenn Miller Café 2010-10-26
BL altsax; Leo Lindberg piano; Ove Gustafsson bas; Konrad Agnas
trummor

  1. Tin Tin Deo (Chano Pozo ev 1948) 08:32

Glasbruksgatan, Stockholm år
BL altsax; Leo Lindberg piano; Ove Gustafsson bas; Konrad Agnas
trummor

  1. April In Paris (Vernon Duke 1932) 05:47

Glenn Miller Café 2010-10-26
BL altsax; Leo Lindberg piano; Ove Gustafsson bas; Konrad Agnas
trummor

  1. St. Vitus Dance ( Louis Jordan 1941 ) 06:25

Glenn Miller Café 2013-03-23
BL altsax; Göran Strandberg piano; Per-Ola Gadd bas; Ali Djeridi
trummor

  1. Light Blue (Thelonius Monk 1958) 05:10
  2. My Old Flame (Arthur Jonston 1934 ) 06:01

Glenn Miller Café 2012-09-04
BL altsax; Leo Lindberg piano; Kenji Rabson bas, Moussa Fadera
trummor

  1. Straight Street (John Coltrane 1957) 07:54
  2. Lover (Richard Rodgers 1933) 05:03
  3. Autumn In New York (Vernon Duke 1934) 06:31
  4. Dance Of The Infidels (Bud Powell 1949) 05:49

Total playing time 57:15

Recorded by Christer Ädelqvist with a ZOOM H2 (Underbara Bar 208-03-25) and with a Olympus ls 10 (Marabouparken, Glenn Miller Cafe, Glasbruksgatan) direct to one stereo track.


Edited by Patrik Boman
Mastered by Classe Person at CRP Recording
Produced by Viveca Lindenstrand and Patrik Boman
Graphic design by Johan von Friedrich at Slow Fox Production