e.s.t. — Tuesday Wonderland (2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Sweden's preeminent jazz fusion band the Esbjörn Svensson Trio, named after the charismatic and inventive pianist, has been a sensation in Europe since the early '90s, capturing numerous Swedish Grammys (including one for Tuesday Wonderland long before its Stateside release), a French Grammy, and gold and platinum awards in their home country, Germany and France. But they deserve more than this -- a medal, actually -- for finding a unique blend of melodic jazz, classical, electronica and rock -- that has earned them an audience of both older jazz lovers and trendy hip-hop kids. It speaks to the freshness of their vibe that their videos play regularly on MTV Scandinavia and they're the only European jazz band ever to grace the cover of Downbeat. Though there are traditional elements at work, Tuesday Wonderland thrives on being unconventional. On the opening track "Fading Maid Pendulum," just as it's hypnotizing with a gentle, classically tinged piano melody, Dan Berglund jumps in with a brooding, distorted heavy metal bass craziness and drummer Magnus Ostrom goes cymbal crazy. It's electro-ambient jazz gone mad. The title track features Svensson's David Benoit-like, melodic dark-meets-light piano dichotomy over Ostrom's sharp, off-meter drums before some spacy electronica takes over for a spell. "Brewery of Beggars" is another inspired dose of insanity, darting from busy cymbal-piano swirls to softer, contemplative piano-bass moments. "Beggar's Blanket" puts those pesky beggars to sleep with a sweet, lullaby-like, straightforward trio ballad. The Pat Metheny-esque "Dolores in a Shoestand" explores the melodic and rhythmic potential of jazz, a vibe which extends to other enjoyably seductive pieces like "eighthundred Streets by Feet." "Goldwrap," on the other hand, is a marriage between trippy jazz and explosive trance music -- no wonder the kids love this stuff! Listening to this disc is a gloriously schizophrenic experience that will appeal more to adventurous listeners than those who prefer one style to another. But it was a great introduction to what makes Europe tick in the early 2000s jazz-wise.  Jonathan Widran

"In the beginning it was Sweden, then Europe and now it’s the world. If any one is in any doubt about how original, absorbing and dynamic this band is, then get Tuesday Wonderland, their tenth album [...] A significant artistic triumph for Europe's leading jazz group and seems set to exceed the success of last year's Viaticum, which was Europe's best selling instrumental jazz album for 2005" (JAZZWISE, Sept 06) ACT
Tracklist :
1    Fading Maid Preludium    4:10
2    Tuesday Wonderland    6:30
3    The Goldhearted Miner    4:51
4    Brewery Of Beggars    8:22
5    Beggar's Blanket    2:53
6    Dolores In A Shoestand    8:52
7    Where We Used To Live    4:25
8    Eighthundred Streets By Feet    6:47
9    Goldwrap    3:59
10    Sipping On The Solid Ground    4:32
11.1    Fading Maid Postludium    5:08
11.2    (silence)    3:09
11.3    Untitled    4:11
Credits :
Esbjörn Svensson – Piano
Dan Berglund – Bass
Magnus Öström - Drums

e.s.t. – Leucocyte (2008) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Radical as never before: e.s.t. improves the interaction between piano, double bass and drums in an orgie of improvisation to an intoxicating adventure of loudicrous soundscapes. ACT
Tracklist :
1    Decade    1:17
Premonition    
2    I. Earth    17:07
3    II. Contorted    6:18
4    Jazz    4:17
5    Still    9:55
6    Ajar    1:36
Leucocyte    
7    I. Ab Initio    8:51
8    II. Ad Interim    1:00
9    III. Ad Mortem    13:08
10    IV. Ad Infinitum    4:38
Credits :
Esbjörn Svensson - Grand Piano, Electronics, Transistor Radio
Dan Berglund - Double Bass, Electronics
Magnus Öström - Drums, Electronics, Voices

ESBJÖRN SVENSSON TRIO — Plays Monk (1996-2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The music of Thelonius Monk is a peculiar mixture of simplicity and and complexity; of larguorous ballads and rhythms turned inside out. The music is a challenge.
„You can always give it your personal touch“, explains Esbjörn. On „Plays Monk“you notice this over and over again.
 „Plays Monk“ is the telling title of the CD from 1996 by Esbjörn Svensson Trio (e.s.t.)
Ten of the most beloved songs by Monk, from nocturnal, lovingly caressing „Round Midnight“ to the gay and sprightly „Rhythm-A-Ning“, get a becomingly shining new colour here. ACT
Tracklist :
1    I Mean You 6:47
Arranged By [Strings] – Dan Berglund
Strings – Elisabeth Arnberg, Ulf Forsberg, Ulrika Edström, Ulrika Jansson
2    Criss Cross    5:48
3    'Round Midnight 6:13
Arranged By [Strings] – Esbjörn Svensson
Music By – B. Hanighen, C. Williams
Strings – Elisabeth Arnberg, Ulf Forsberg, Ulrika Edström, Ulrika Jansson
4    Bemsha Swing 7:22
Music By – D. Best
Percussion – Esbjörn Svensson
5    Rhythm-A-Ning    4:03
6    In Walked Bud    6:40
7    Little Rootie Tootie    4:04
8    Eronel    4:59
9    Evidence    5:05
10    Crepuscule With Nellie    6:40
Credits :
Esbjörn Svensson - Piano
Dan Berglund - Bass
Magnus Öström - Drums

ESBJÖRN SVENSSON TRIO — e.s.t. Live (1995-2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 More about the album:
They have been lauded as the "New sound in the Old World", and as "high voltage out of Sweden"; the group has been called "possibly the best jazz trio in the world". The Esbjörn Svensson Trio's - known as EST - rise to the heights has been almost frightening. After their first major success in Sweden, their international breakthrough came in 1999 during the ACT World Jazz Night at the Montreux Jazz Festival. In the following years EST was a sensation throughout Europe, and they are now on the path to continuing their success story in the USA. It's no wonder that, especially when playing "live", EST lets loose an almost unbelievable energy - and this energy appears to grow from tour to tour - a rising star that shines ever brighter.

Stars sometimes shine much longer than one would think. And here are recordings that demonstrate this is true for EST. The band, which was first formed in 1993, quickly found their very special sound. However, at first, no one outside EST's homeland was aware of them. Six years ago, in 1995, when Esbjörn Svensson still had long hair, and wore a headband, a record titled "Mr. And Mrs. Handkerchief", which consisted of live air shots from various towns in Sweden, was released. A year later, EST recorded the album "Esbjörn Svensson Trio Plays Monk" (recently re-released as ACT.). It reached the undreamed of sales of 10,000 CD's nationwide. Those who have heard how the trio played back then can attest that it was breathtaking music (for a quick listen: track 5).

Much of what characterizes EST's play today was already well-defined in 1995: the unity and riveting strength of the inter-play, the compelling themes - themes that immediately jump out at the listener, and yet are never burdened with cliches. Then there are the musical influences of the likes of Thelonious Monk and Kieth Jarrett, which are fused into a unique style that is again and again infected by the forward-thrust of rock. Magic moments are preserved for posterity in these live takes. In tracks three and seven, Svensson plays on an upright piano that doesn't even come close to the brilliance and clarity of a concert grand - and yet, these recordings are pearls. The trio had by this time mastered the ability to react spontaneously to the inspiration of the moment.

Absolutely no difference from today? On their latest tours EST sounded tighter, less raw, with the impetuosity of wilder times more under control. Comparison with the masterpiece "Dodge the Dodo" from the 1999 Montreux concert (bonus CD) shows that the trio's development has not been by leaps and bounds, but has been a continual process. Esbjörn Svensson himself has stated most clearly how much the music from past periods influences the band; "Obviously we develop all the time, both as individuals and as a group. But development isn't only about blind process. So instead of just going forward, in places we've chosen to refer back to our earlier sound, to what we had on our first two albums." That's already reason enough to pay new attention to "EST LIVE '95". Roland Spiegel, translated by Marty Cook ACT
Tracklist :
1    Say Hello To Mr. D (To Mr. S)    9:12
2    The Rube Thing    5:28
3    Happy Heads And Crazy Feds    5:20
4    The Day After (Leaving)    4:39
5    Like Wash It Or Something    8:57
6    Breadbasket    5:06
7    What Did You Buy Today    3:10
8    Hymn Of The River Brown    5:13
9    Same As Before    6:25
10    Mr. & Mrs. Handkerchief    7:19
– BONUS TRACK –
11    Dodge The Dodo "Live In Montreux"    10:00
Credits :
Esbjörn Svensson - Piano
Dan Berglund - Bass
Magnus Öström - Drums

ESBJÖRN SVENSSON TRIO — 301 (2012) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A couple of months after pianist Esbjörn Svensson passed away in 2008 after a freak diving accident, what was thought to be the band's final album, Leucocyte, was released. It was considered final because the pianist had been involved in its mixing and sequencing as he had each of their previous 11 albums. The release of 301 comes as a surprise. The material included here was chosen from nine hours of tape recorded during the Leucocyte sessions -- which was, interestingly, originally conceived as a double album. The band fully expected another album would be culled from the remaining material. E.S.T. cut Leucocyte while on tour, having no compositions; what emerged came came out of individual ideas or group jams, making this set feel very much like an extension of the previous recording. The band's surviving members, bassist Dan Berglund and drummer Magnus Öström, along with regular sound engineer Åke Linton, all participated in 301's assemblage (named for the 301 Studios in Sydney). While it may have been sequenced or even mixed a bit differently had Svensson lived, everything here comes together as a compelling whole. Svensson was always keen to embrace more electronic sounds alongside his explorations of post-bop, and they are present here in tracks such as the formlessly experimental noise of "Houston, The 5th," the spacious electronic ambience that constantly yet hesitantly adorns the the backdrop (and even Svensson's piano occasionally) on the gorgeous, sinister "Inner City, City Lights," and in Berglund's blasting, fuzzed-out, phase-shifting basslines on the lengthy "Three Falling Free Part II." But the trio's jazz chops are abundant throughout. Opener "Behind the Stars" is a lovely, lilting, solo piano ballad. Another highlight is the stretched, swinging, balancing act of harmonic engagement in the nearly 14 minute "The Left Lane," while there's yet another shimmering blues in closer "The Childhood Dream." Ultimately, 301 proves that E.S.T. ended the way they came in, as a committed jazz group constantly seeking new ways of expanding the piano trio format as well the parameters of the music itself. This is not only a fine addition to their catalog, it is one of the finest entries in it.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-

The Legacy - Part II: More original recordings by the legendary Esbjörn Svensson Trio from their last session at Studio 301 in Sydney, Australia. A triumphant echo of an unforgotten band and homage to the jazz innovator who died in 2008. ACT
Tracklist :
1    Behind The Stars    3:44
2    Inner City, City Lights    11:48
3    The Left Lane    13:37
4    Houston, The 5th    3:34
5    Three Falling Free Part I    5:49
6    Three Falling Free Part II    14:30
7    The Childhood Dream    8:02
Credits :
Composed By – Dan Berglund, Esbjörn Svensson, Magnus Öström
Cover – Björn Kusoffsky
Double Bass, Electronics – Dan Berglund
Drums, Voice [Voices], Electronics – Magnus Öström
Grand Piano, Electronics, Electronics [Transistor Radio] – Esbjörn Svensson
Performer [Performed By], Producer [Produced By] – E.S.T.

ESBJÖRN SVENSSON TRIO — Live In Hamburg (2007) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In a word: wow. Since their 1993 debut album, the Esbjörn Svensson Trio, or E.S.T., as it is usually called, have taken the jazz world by storm, winning numerous awards, playing sold-out world tours, topping the charts, and generally enjoying a popularity that's exceeded that of almost any other jazz group in years. The trio was also the first European jazz group to grace the cover of Down Beat magazine, which led to long discussions about the heritage of jazz and the validity of European jazz; and, naturally, it caused some listeners to perceive an artificial hype and discredit the band for simply not being as brilliant as everyone says they are. Well, do yourself a favor and do not listen to the detractors -- listen to E.S.T.'s music instead, and this two-hour concert recorded on November 22, 2006 in Hamburg, Germany, is an excellent place to start, since it shows the superb musicianship of pianist Esbjörn Svensson, bassist Dan Berglund, and drummer Magnus Öström minus any studio trickery; it shows their exquisite communication with each other, their daring improvisations, their effortless flow -- and most of all, it shows their unique brand of music, where a jazz trio can easily incorporate heavy metal distortion during a song ("Definition of a Dog"), then play a sparse, lovely ballad ("The Goldhearter Miner"), and where funk, classical, and avant-garde music elements are incorporated into a sound that never feels academic or difficult to listen to. The band plays everything with the energy of a rock group (Jim Rakete's liner photography even makes them look like one), and the music is often edgy, but the hypnotic repetitions and the building intensity of many tracks often have an almost trance-like quality. The question whether E.S.T. play jazz or pop or rock is completely beside the point: yes, this is jazz, as jazz has always evolved and incorporated new ideas (and almost all of the important developments in jazz have been derided by critics as not being "true jazz" in their time). Yes, this is pop, as it's accessible and, well, popular. And yes, this is rock, with its energy and recklessness. But essentially, it's just unique and exciting music. Christian Genzel
Tracklist 1 :
1    Tuesday Wonderland    13:12
2    The Rube Thing    14:23
3    Where We Used To Live    8:33
4    Eighthundred Streets By Feet    9:35
5    Definition Of A Dog    18:36
Tracklist 2 :
1    The Goldhearted Miner    7:03
2    Dolores In A Shoestand    17:39
3    Sipping On The Solid Ground    7:58
4    Goldwrap    6:14
5    Behind The Yashmak    15:32
Credits:
Piano – Esbjörn Svensson
Bass – Dan Berglund
Drums – Magnus Öström

ESBJÖRN SVENSSON TRIO — Viaticum + Live in Berlin (2005) 2CD SET ACT-Platinum Edition | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

With the album "Viaticum," released in February 2005, the successful Swedish trio e.s.t. surpassed themselves. While the Swedes had already received a German Jazz Award in GOLD for each of their last three albums, "Viaticum" was awarded both GOLD and PLATINUM awards just three months after its release. A true record! At the same time, the album entered the pop charts in Sweden (#5), Germany (#45), and France (#60), and it was named "CD of the Month" by magazines Stereo, Stereoplay, Piano News, and Drums&Percussion, receiving enthusiastic reviews across Europe. ACT
Viaticum    
1    Tide Of Trepidation    7:12
2    Eighty-Eight Days In My Veins    8:22
3    The Well-Wisher    3:47
4    The Unstable Table & The Infamous Fable    8:32
5    Viaticum    6:51
6    In The Tail Of Her Eye    6:55
7    Letter From The Leviathan    6:56
8    A Picture Of Doris Travelling With Boris    5:40
9a    What Though The Way May Be Long    6:21
9b    (Silence)    4:01
9c    The Hidden Track    10:13
"Live" In Berlin    
1    A Picture Of Doris Travelling With Boris    7:36
2    In The Tail Of Her Eye    8:31
3    The Unstable Table & The Infamous Fable    10:55
4    The Rube Thing    13:29
– BONUS TRACK – (Previously Unreleased)    
5    All The Beauty She Left Behind    8:08
Credits :
Esbjörn Svensson - Piano
Dan Berglund - Double Bass
Magnus Öström - Drums

ESBJÖRN SVENSSON TRIO — When Everyone Has Gone (1993) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Like so many American players, Sweden's Esbjorn Svensson has backed his share of pop artists but is essentially a jazz improviser at heart. Svensson's enthusiasm for improvisation came through loud and clear on his Dragon dates of the 1990s, one of which was the decent When Everybody Has Gone. Backed by fellow Swedes Dan Berglund (bass) and Magnus Ostrom (drums), Svensson favors the piano trio format and draws on post-bop influences like Chick Corea, Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett on the standard "Stella By Starlight" and originals ranging from the pensive "4 a.m." to the melancholy "Waltz for the Lonely Ones" and the Middle Eastern-influenced "Mohammed Goes to New York." Much of Svensson's work tends to be introspective and impressionistic, but things get surprisingly funky and almost Horace Silver-ish on "Tough Tough." This CD was released by the Stockholm-based Dragon label, but made its way to some U.S. stores as an import. Alex Henderson
Tracklist:
1    When Everyone Has Gone    6:39
2    Fingertrip    8:26
3    Free Four    6:38
4    Stella By Starlight    8:22
5    4 Am    5:26
6    Mohammed Goes To New York, Part 1    4:14
7    Mohammed Goes To New York, Part 2    5:35
8    Waltz For The Lonely Ones    3:54
9    Silly Walk    5:30
10    Tough Tough    4:11
11    Hands Off    6:18
Créditos
Arranged By – Esbjörn Svensson Trio
Composed By – Esbjörn Svensson (1 to 3, 5 to 11), Victor Young (4)
Double Bass, Whistle – Dan Berglund
Drums, Percussion, Vocals [Arabic Style] – Magnus Öström
Piano [Grand Piano], Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Synthesizer [Roland D 50, Oberheim] – Esbjörn Svensson