"Esbjörn Svensson, the Swedish original who turned crossovers between jazz, pop and classical music into lasting art with EST, would have got around to this orchestral venture himself but for his accidental death in 2008. With its shapely themes, subtle pacing and big climaxes, his popular trios music was ideal material, eloquently confirmed here by arranger Hans Ek, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic and four star jazz soloists, including brilliant Finnish pianist Iiro Rantala (Trio Toykeat). Svenssons own arrangement embellishes the rocking theme of "Dodge The Dodo", and the fugal EST favourite "When God Created The Coffee Break" has inquisitive woodwind lines crossing the Bach-derived bassline. Marius Nesets tenor murmurs amid pedal-steel glimmers on "Seven Days Of Falling", and Eks swooping flutes and deep strings sway over the characteristic smack and patter of original EST drummer Magnus Öströms brushwork on "Viaticum". Its all beautifully and devotedly done." (J. Fordham, Guardian; 4 uit 5 sterren)
"Inspired by Norman Granz’s Jazz at the Philharmonic series (1944–1983), ACT Music started the label’s Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic series in 2012, with the aim of bringing together musicians from jazz and beyond, performing live in the Berliner Philharmonie concert hall. The first ever recording in the series featured three outstanding European pianists, Michael Wollny (Germany), Iiro Rantala (Finland) and Leszek Mozdzer (Poland), playing an exhilarating set. The experiment was so successful that the trio repeated it in 2018 and once again in December 2024, this time as a quartet with pianist Grégory Privat (France/Martinique), resulting in XVI in the series. And if anything, this concert is even more adventurous than its predecessors. Each pianist takes one solo performance. Five duets provide even more complexity and contrast. The finale is all four pianists playing a storming version of Ellington’s “Caravan”. In all, it’s a stonking concert of jaw-dropping virtuosity." (UK Jazz News)
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