Denmark may be heading for the airport after losing to Australia in the World Cup but, on the evidence displayed in this album, in jazz terms, the country's musicians are up there with the best.
The Danish reedsman, 80-year-old at the time of this live recording last November, gives a masterclass in mainstream tenor playing on this, one of the most swinging albums I've heard this year. Think of Hawkins, Webster, Jacquet, Lockjaw, Cobb or Guy Lafitte - Thilo is from that school. He swings like the aforementioned giants once did over a rhythm section that is with him all the way. This is tenor playing with guts and no small sense of humour (catch the mini coda at the end of Blue 'n' Boogie).
Stardust, complete with verse, is as good an instrumental version of Hoagy's classic as I've yet to hear.
He's no mean clarinettist either (it was his first instrument) displaying a fluidity of tone that brings a rare warmth to If I Had You and Memories of You.
His fellow Danes are of equal standing: Kristiansen has a solo piano feature on Tenderly that loses nothing by comparision with the classic Oscar Peterson recording. I'm sure Oscar would have shown his approval. Bassist Franck is showcased on Sweets to the Sweet and Rifbjerg - no shrinking violet he - drives things along on the uptempo numbers whilst playing with subtlety and sensitivity on the ballads.
The final Lester Leaps In goes out on another 'rhythm changes' theme - Anthropology - before finishing to well deserved applause from the audience at Copenhagen's Jazzcup on Montmartre Blues.
They don't come much better than this! Lance.
Available Dec. 16 on Stunt Records.
Oh Gee!; Body and Soul; Just Friends; If I Had You; Blue 'n' Boogie; Sweets to the Sweet; Tenderly; I'll Remember April; Memories of You; Like Someone in Love; Stardust; Lester Leaps in/Montmartre Blues
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