Jazzbox , Sven-Ake Johansson Coolquartett

Jazzbox     SÅJ-CD 13-18-26-27-28  © 2013

Sven-åke Johansson will need no introduction to free jazz fans that know their Brotzmann LPs from the late sixties. The veteran Swedish born Berlin resident was one of the earliest European jazz payers to release a solo drum LP featuring his Slingerland drum kit. Slingerland go back further than Johansson and have a reputation to die for. Johansson too has a reputation for quality on the traps. (A great favourite is 6 easy pieces on Hat Art).  I suspect that kit is present on these 5 CDs in which Johansson glides through a series of standards. In three of the discs the band is called the Coolquartett and features modernist/free-leaning trumpeter Axel Dorner as the front man.  The heads are taken straight but with Dorner smearing the notes and taking smallish liberties with the timing and typically kicks of the soloing. Here again he prefers to pinch and decry his lines with undramatic phrasing.  Pianist Zoran Terzic gets plenty of exposure which he uses with sensitivity and aplomb.  Jan Roder on bass provides a good swinging support and equally solos with the right balance of free and standard solo styles.  That then is what most of this band delivers, contemporary takes of the jazz canon with the benefit of over 70 years of jazz interpretation to draw upon. The band play as unit, there is no bandstanding or show, instead a band keen to work out. Whatever post modernism my really mean , it is a little strange to hear the old chestnuts being played by musicians who can play completely free yet restrain from deviations into other worlds or higher stratospheres.  

It should be mentioned that Sven-Åke brings his own special line in singing to just two tracks in the whole set.  It would seem only fair to say that those of you not accustomed to his cabaret style delivery might need the remote at hand. Otherwise, it is a pleasure to hear him play drums with all the panache and charm of, say, Ed Thigpen.

One disc the Coolquartett is supplemented by Tobias Delius on tenor and Henrik Walsdorff on alto from a live gig at the Club Lagari, Berlin (recorded 2009). The two saxophonists push things out a little but without disturbing anyone certainly not the swinging drummer.

Disc IV (Tune up) is the only one without Dorner, instead featuring Tobias Delius with Roder, Johansson and Aki Takase on piano. Personally, I find Takase repetitive and lacks any potential for swing, so the tunes often switch from a flowing 4/4 to a two step feel time when she does the typical irregular rag time solo. Irritating over a whole disc for me, but more importantly it raises the question of why German and  Dutch modernists regularly draw on the old stomp-style jazz tradition whereas American bands will keep the swinging 4/4 time going with never a hint of pastiche. Is it tradition or is it irony? I cannot tell. 
Disc V (Candy) is a trio with Dorner, Johansson and Joe Williamson on bass. Again, standards feature throughout and given a similar workout apply as with the Coolquartett. 

In sum, if you are not expecting contemporary german free improv this is a nice box set. The attraction is the unshowy nature of the performances.  The musicians sound like a band working out at a live club, totally committed and professional with the confidence to not need to impress anyone. For me, that is why you seek out this box set rather than a polished top American outfit doing the same tunes on a high profile label. 

Check Johansson’s web page for more at  http://www.sven-akejohansson.com/en/home/