DAVID BINNEY — South (2001) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

"A brilliant debut" - (STEREOPLAY) "CD of the Month, February 2001" ACT
Tracklist :
1    Out Beyond Ideas    5:23
2    Moment In Memory    8:58
3    The Global Soul    5:12
4    Leaving The Sea    12:07
5    Von Joshua    5:18
6    Traveler    5:51
7    New York Nature    8:32
8    Southpaw    6:27
9    The Global Soul (Reprise)    1:57
10    Tangles Outcome 3:44
Composed By – Rogers, Potter, Binney, Black, Colley, Caine
11    South    6:54
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Sampler, Composed By, Producer – David Binney
Bass – Scott Colley
Design – Peter Krüll
Drums – Brian Blade, Jim Black (tracks: 5, 10)
Guitar – Adam Rogers
Piano – Uri Caine
Tenor Saxophone – Chris Potter

LARS DANIELSSON & LESZEK MOŻDŻER — Pasodoble (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

"A wonderful duo in which virtuosity and musicality go hand in hand: creating beautiful, timeless music that transcends trends"-(Concerto)

More about the album:
Swedish composer, arranger, bassist and cellist Lars Danielsson has to date released three albums on ACT as a leader and plays as a sideman on numerous other ACT releases. He was also producer on the current album of singer Viktoria Tolstoy Pictures of Me.

Lars Danielsson is a musician of astonishing versatility. While he was studying classical cello at Gothenburg Conservatory he was listening mostly to rock: Jimi Hendrix, Cream and Santana. Then he happened to see an Oscar Peterson concert on TV with Danish bassist Nils-Henning Ørsted Pedersen This was the beginning of his conversion, from now on the bass was to take first place in his life.

His latest work, Pasodoble, is an exciting new duo album, with Leszek Możdżer, an artist who is widely regarded as the most successful and versatile pianist of his home country Poland. Możdżer was already featured with a composition on the ACT-compilation Romantic Freedom (ACT 9749-2), which served as an introduction to the series “Piano Works”.

They first met four years ago at a concert in Warsaw. It was musical love at first sight. In the meantime, they have released two successful albums in Poland, “The Time” and “Between Us and the Light” both with Israeli percussionist Zohar Fresco, and have toured together with Danielsson’s latest project Mélange Bleu
(ACT 9604-2).

Recording a duo album together was only a question of time. In the resulting well-balanced and ageless work, the intimate quality of the two player’s interaction is spellbinding.

“Leszek is the perfect piano player for me. It feels like we are from 'the same planet' musically. We started to plan this recording after playing some duo tunes on tour. Siegfried Loch then came up with the idea to make a duo-album. There was a strong connection with just the piano and bass. This way of playing feels like a dream to me. With Leszek, I can go in any direction that the music needs to be taken. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.” (Lars Danielsson)

Leszek Możdżer is an exceptional musician and composer, who has won numerous awards in his home country. He has been playing piano since he was five years old, but he only discovered jazz aged 18, when he began connecting jazz and classical music. He was much lauded for his improvisations on themes by Frédéric Chopin. When he is not on tour or in the studio, he collaborates with the two well-known film-music composers Zbigniew Preisner, long-time partner of director Krysztof Kieslowski (“Three Colours”-trilogy), and the Oscar-award-winning Jan Kaczmarek (“Finding Neverland”). He has also worked with acclaimed international jazz musicians, including Pat Metheny, Archie Shepp, Tomasz Stańko, Joe Lovano. And what does Leszek have in common with Pink Floyd? He plays on two tracks of Floyd vocalist/guitarist David Gilmour’s new album “On an island” …

„Since the very first gig I felt that Lars is the bassist I want to play with. I don’t need to think about music when he is around. I just feel it. Believe it or not, I was a little nervous before we went into the studio as a duet. I felt that we would need to have some kind of concept, create some magical, charismatic aura, which would save us from being tedious or too sophisticated. Lars just smiled and said: 'We will play music, that’s all'. This experience gave me such a sense of self-confidence and inspiration that the same night I composed two pieces in my hotel room. They are both on the album. When I perform with Lars, I play much better than usually. I hope this cooperation is going to last.” (Leszek Możdżer)

The two musicians share a lot of common ground. Their mutual admiration becomes very evident on this, their first duo album. Those who were expecting to hear the occasional standard on the album are in for a surprise. Bass and piano have generated so many ideas that all but one of the tracks – the traditional folksong “Eja Mitt Hjärta”, that Danielsson arranged especially for this album – are original compositions by Lars or Leszek. This proves to be a musical liaison that promises a long and fruitful future. ACT
Tracklist :
1    Praying 4:16
Written-By – Lars Danielsson
2    Fellow 6:05
Written-By – Lars Danielsson
3    Entrance 3:25
Written-By – Lars Danielsson
4    Prado 2:51
Written-By – Lars Danielsson
5    Pasodoble 4:47
Written-By – Lars Danielsson
6    Daughter's Joy 4:06
Written-By – Lars Danielsson
7    It's Easy With You 3:43
Written-By – Leszek Możdżer
8    Hydrospeed 3:51
Written-By – Leszek Możdżer
9    Reminder 4:23
Written-By – Lars Danielsson
10    Innocence 91 3:35
Written-By – Leszek Możdżer
11    Follow My Backlights 3:22
Written-By – Leszek Możdżer
12    Eja Mitt Hjärta 4:11
Arranged By – Lars Danielsson
13    Berlin 3:11
Written-By – Lars Danielsson
14    Distances 3:29
Written-By – Leszek Możdżer
Credits :
Artwork – Martin Noël
Bass, Cello – Lars Danielsson
Piano, Celesta, Harmonium – Leszek Możdżer

JUKKA PERKO | IIRO RANTALA — It Takes Two To Tango ( 2015) Duo Art Series | FLAC (tracks), lossless

They always sound surprising, exciting, and in the truest sense "lively," featuring the ever-virtuosic Iiro Rantala, who is particularly supportive here. And Jukka Perko with his distinctive, always lyrical, and elegantly high-pitched tone, where the power of bebop as well as Nordic melancholy and the passion of tango can be found. ACT
Tracklist :
1    My Sweetheart Is Beautiful = Minun Kultani Kaunis On 2:02
 – Traditional
Arranged By – Jukka Perko
2    Jealousy 4:39
Written-By – Jacob Gade
3    Just Say I Love Her = Dicitencello Vuie 5:02
Arranged By – Jukka Perko
Written-By – Rodolfo Falvo
4    For Mama = La Mamma 4:15
Written-By – Charles Aznavour
5    Therefore I Am Sad = Siks Oon Mä Suruinen 4:23
Arranged By – Iiro Rantala, Teemu Viinikainen
Written-By – Toivo Kärki
6    Romance = Romanssi 3:20
Written-By – Nils-Eric Fougstedt
7    A Blessing = Lyckönskan 3:25
 – Traditional
Arranged By – Iiro Rantala, Vellu Halkosalmi
8    I Will = Tahdon 4:24
Written-By – Jukka Perko
9    Stella By Starlight 4:55
Written-By – Victor Young
10    Love Is So Beautiful = Ja Ljublju Tebja Zhizn 3:02
Written-By – Eduard Kolmanovky
11    Good Intentions = Tositarkoituksin 3:16
Arranged By – Jukka Perko, Matti-Johannes Koivu
Written-By – Irwin Goodman
12    Finlandia (piano solo version) 1:36
Arranged By – Iiro Rantala
Written-By – Jean Sibelius
13    Finlandia (duo version) 3:45
Arranged By – Marzi Nyman
Written-By – Jean Sibelius
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Jukka Perko
Artwork [Cover Art (Detail)] – Philip Taaffe
Piano – Iiro Rantala

NILS LANDGREN — Sentimental Journey (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Nils Landgren Sings Ballads
Diana Krall, Jane Monheit, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Natalie Cole - these are the stars that have caused a worldwide furore with their full-blown movement back to the "standards". It comes as no surprise that the interpretation of the well-known ballads that make up a large portion of "The Great American Songbook" has always been considered one of the highest disciplines in jazz.

At first glance Nils Landgren might seem a bit out of place in the midst of this illustrious group of women. Landgren - isn't that the guy with the fiery red trombone who continually brings the concert halls to the boiling point? Yah - that's him. But God knows the Swedish jazz trombonist has more to offer than rock-hard, groovy funk. When it comes to ballads, Nils Landgren is an old hand. And Nils could sing practically from when he could talk. Nils remembers with amusement that, "In school we had to sing a psalm every day, which definitely didn't arouse my enthusiasm for singing." It was a convincing performance in the best James Brown manner that got the 18-year old Landgren his first recording contract. Since then Nils Landgren has never completely stopped singing, regardless of all the success of his formidable band Funk Unit.

To the great surprise of those who know the music industry, Landgren's 1992 "Ballads" album (ACT 9268-2), which was brought onto the market without a lot of publicity, evolved into a real word-of-mouth hit. Almost 20,000 copies were sold - that speaks for itself - such a turnover is a more than respectful success in the jazz world. And so "Mr. Redhorn" once again gives way to his sensitive side and undertakes a trip to the land of emotions. "Sentimental Journey" - could there be a more appropriate title for an album from someone who is almost always speeding from one gig to the next, but who would like to shift down a gear? Nils declared that, "After all the hectic tours in this last period, it was simply the right time to do this album. I've always liked quiet songs that tell a story. It doesn't make much difference to me whether I tell that story with words or with my instrument."

And there is a whole list of such stories: "In a Sentimental Mood", breathed in the characteristic style of the greatest jazz musician of them all, Duke Ellington. Kurt Weill's "Speak Low", referring to the intimate moment of trusting togetherness. "Nature Boy", "My Foolish Heart", and the title song, "Sentimental Journey"; these are songs that belong to the standard repertoire of virtually every vocal interpreter in jazz. But Nils Landgren has also covered pop artists such as Sting, and it is clear that he has no reservations about tackling such country greats as Allison Krauss: "Fragile" and "Ghost in this House" are seamlessly added to the phalanx of song classics as if they had always belonged there.

A lot of heart went into the making of "Sentimental Journey"; it is a project that is worked down to the smallest detail. What is more boring than a record on which every piece sounds pretty much the same? That's not the case here. Every song has its own individual arrangement and stands alone in its beauty. Landgren is no friend of simple solutions - he's not content with getting his ideas ready-made. Instead of using the usual string ensemble for an adequate background, he opted for the original FleshQuartet out of his Swedish homeland. Landgren intoned, "It's damned hard to translate the ideas you have perpetually running around in your head into sounds, but I never thought it was possible that they could sound better in reality than the way I had painted them in my fantasy. I'll always be indebted to the Fleshquartet for their contribution to this recording."

Certainly not a bad choice. The Swedish pianist Anders Widmark is one of the most versatile of his profession. A while ago he made a recording of "Carmen" which caused quite a stir. Bassist Lars Danielsson is one of the most sought-after players on the European jazz scene, as is indicated by the many albums he has recorded, both as bandleader and accomplished accompanist. And drummer Wolfgang Haffner's biography could hardly be more colourful: alongside his work with his own formations, he is one of the most sought-after session drummers on the international scene. Besides this, the "special guests" include singers Rigmor Gustafsson and Viktoria Tolstoy, along with Nils' labelmate and friend, pianist Esbjörn Svensson. On the title song "Sentimental Journey" we also hear Nils Landgren with two of his students, trombonists Karin and Mimmi Hammar.

46-year-old Nils Landgren has travelled a long way before he could begin his "Sentimental Journey". He has been involved with more than 500 recording sessions (including ABBA), jazz workshops with some of the world's most renowned big bands, successful international tours with the Funk Unit, artistic director of the 2001 Berlin Jazz Festival - the list could go on and on. One thing that makes "Sentimental Journey" so convincing is that it resists the hectic hustle and bustle that can overwhelm the music. Nils says adamantly that, "This is my baby, at least for a while." And what a beautiful, sweet, sentimental baby it is. ACT
Tracklist :
1    Speak Low    4:32
2    Ghost In This House    4:43
3    This Masquerade    4:05
4    Nature Boy    5:04
5    Fragile 3:13
Vocals – Rigmor Gustafsson
6    In A Sentimental Mood    5:22
7    The Ballad Of The Sad Young Men    5:19
8    My Foolish Heart    4:40
9    Should I Care    4:10
10    Be There For You 4:01
Vocals – Viktoria Tolstoy
11    Sentimental Journey 4:40
Trombone – Karin Hammar, Mimmi Hammar
12    Everything Must Change 4:37
Bass – Chrille Olsson
13    I Will Survive 4:31
Bass – Magnum Coltrane Price
Drums – Janne Robertsson
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Esbjörn Svensson
Guitar – Robert Östlund
Credits :
Nils Landgren - Vocals and Trombone
Anders Widmark – Piano
Lars Danielsson – Bass
Wolfgang Haffner – Drums

FleshQuartet :
Jonas Lindgren – Violin
Örjan Högberg – Viola
Mattias Hellden – Cello
Sebastian Öberg - Cello
Chrille Olsson - Bass on “Everything must change”

WOLFGANG HAFFNER — Round Silence (2009) ACT : Nu Jazz Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

"In der Ruhe liegt die Kraft" (Jazzpodium): Round Silence is a contemplation of silence, one that doesn't pass by silently and should by no means be overlooked. ACT
Tracklist :
1    Round Silence 6:08
Featuring, Guitar [Uncredited] – Dominic Miller
2    Left Side Field    6:10
3    It's Not Safe 5:01
Featuring, Vocals [Uncredited] – Kim Sanders
4    Azul    5:06
5    Stadium Jazz 5:26
Featuring, Trombone [Uncredited] – Nils Landgren
6    Nightsong 8:04
Featuring, Guitar [Uncredited] – Chuck Loeb
7    The Space In Between    4:19
8    Tubes    4:41
9    Ride    5:16
10    Wordless    5:30
11    The Flow    5:10
Credits :
Wolfgang Haffner - Drums, Log Drum, Table Tubes
Hubert Nuss – Piano
Lars Danielsson - Double Bass, Cello
Sebastian Studnitzky - Trumpet, Piano, Fender Rhodes
Christian Diener - Electric Bass
Ernst Ströer - Percussion
Julian Haffner - Add. Percussion Programming (#2)
Fiete Felsch - Alto Flute
Lutz Büchner - Clarinet
Dan Gottschall - Trombone
Special Guests:
Dominic Miller – Guitar (#1)
Chuck Loeb – Guitar (#6)
Kim Sanders – Vocals (#3)
Nils Landgren – Trombone (#8)