Bebop is spoken throughout this excellent set. Two Swedish musicians (pianist
Jan Lundgren and trumpeter
Peter Asplund) meet up with a couple of Americans (bassist
Dave Carpenter and drummer
Paul Kreibich) on a variety of superior standards, plus a couple of jazz interpretations of obscure Swedish songs.
Asplund has a bright sound in the
Clifford Brown tradition;
Lundgren looks toward
Bud Powell; and the Americans are quite supportive of the lead voices. To break up the strict quartet format, Barney Kessel's "Swedish Pastry" is taken by the rhythm trio;
Lundgren and
Asplund play a duet version of "Sodermalm";
Lundgren is absent on "I Hear a Rhapsody"; and "How Deep Is the Ocean" is a piano-bass duet. Other highlights include "Au Privave," "What Is This Thing Called Love," and "When It's Sleepy Time Down South." Easily recommended to bebop collectors. ~ Scott Yanow