When the iconic Danish drummer Alex Riel passed away last June the loss was felt far beyond his home country. When Pasborg, Alex Riel's godson and himself a highly respected drummer, came across a handwritten list by Riel of his favourite tunes he decided he had to record them as a tribute the musician who had been such an inspiration to him.
Danny Boy may seem to be a surprise selection for a Danish drummer to include in such a list but, as it was also a favourite of Ben Webster's with whom Riel surely must have played with when the American tenor player was in town, perhaps it isn't so surprising after all. Lunden blows gutsy tenor.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow was another Webster favourite. Here it's laid back and as cool as a Copenhagen winter with no one straying too far from the melody and some atmospheric bells subtly jingling in the background.
Smile: Slow and dramatic. Dahl explores the harmonic possibilities of a tune that has long needed such treatment. Pasborg putters effectively away in the background.
Idaho: Pasborg kicks things off before piano and tenor take advantage of the no speed limit zone to do some musical wrestling. Pasborg joins in then goes it alone with an extended solo worthy of his mentor. Another freefall with a suggestion of stride piano bubbling under the surface.
In Another Way: There's a story behind this one. Are you sitting comfortably? Back in 1966 Alex Riel released his debut album, The Alex Riel Trio. One of the tracks was an abstract unaccompanied solo improvisation he named In a Way. Pasborg selected five moments from that recording and integrated them into his own solo improvisation.
Den Milde Dag er Lys og Lang (The Gentle Day is Light and Long): Composed in 1921 by Danish composer Carl Nielsen (1865-1931) it probably wasn't intended to be quite as volatile as it is here when Lundin goes beserk. He (Lundin) does however, return to sanity for some quite lyrical playing which I think the composer would have been happy with.
Moon River: I can never hear this tune without thinking of Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's which adds an extra couple of stars to this very listenable version.
Moppin' & Boppin': I can't get my head around this one. It bears as much resemblance to the original Fats Waller recording as it does to, say, I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts. Then again I doubt that they intended to clone it anyway. After all they could only play the hand that Riel dealt them.
Den Blå Anemone (The Blue Anemone): An atmospheric, almost nocturnal piece in which Dahl brings to the surface the beauty implied in the title.
When You Wish Upon a Star: Lundin takes the lead. Almost solo, apart from some rustling in the undergrowth, it brings to a close an album high in emotional content with a few surprises along the way.
A worthy tribute. Lance
*Trio is spelt Triiio on the cover but not on the spine!
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