| Jazz |
Jazz from the Edge of the World
This time, I invite you to Scandinavia for a world/jazz experience infused with pop/rock accents, brought to life by a trio that lacks neither intrigue, humor, nor poetry in its compositions. Their music unfolds within a deeply cinematic or novelistic universe, depending on how one receives their art upon first listen. Personally, I was immediately captivated by this group, drawn in by their boldly affirmed originality.
Veterans of the Scandinavian jazz and improvisation scene, pianist Mathias Landæus, double bassist Nina de Heney, and drummer Kresten Osgood first played together in 2013 as part of Landæus’ acclaimed Underground concert series in Lund, Sweden.
Speaking about the trio’s dynamic, Nina de Heney shares: “I often spend time in the forest, preferring to take the smaller paths, letting my thoughts wander as I listen to the sounds of nature. Playing with Mathias and Kresten gives me the same sensation of freedom, peace, and joy. It feels like walking along new winding trails with every encounter, in a magnificent forest filled with magical fruits, where everything tastes like the first time.”
And yet, this trio is truly a three-headed entity, each member bringing their own vision, sensitivity, and way of perceiving the world and their culture. Mathias Landæus dreamed of capturing the unique identity that is reborn with each of their reunions. “I have always been fascinated by the distinct sound that emerges from the three of us,” he confides. “I had wanted to record this trio for years, and this session finally made it possible.”
Sound—the word is spoken, and it is central to this group’s identity, a sonic exploration that defines their uniqueness. Their world could well be the transposition of Wim Wenders’ Paris, Texas into an ultra-contemporary, urban setting, where a Lolita, slightly shattered by the city’s clamor and disillusioned by the often bleak European life, takes center stage.
For Kresten Osgood, improvisation prevails over any prior composition in their creative process. “The idea that matters most to me is that improvisation can be the space where the most interesting music is born. It far surpasses composition—or at least has the potential to,” he explains.
With this album, the trio invites listeners into their ever-evolving universe—an artistic space where boldness and imagination reign, where every moment brims with possibilities. The result is a timeless record, blending the spontaneity of a live performance with the intimacy of the studio.
Here, we find one of the cultural expressions that best represents European artistic creation—akin to a Médéric Collignon or a Céline Bonacina, each with their own distinct universe. This trio crafts an aesthetic imbued with nostalgia: an accordion that escapes almost joyfully, a guitar sketching a grayish backdrop, and inspired rhythmic patterns weaving through an intellectual urban romance. It is the voice of a generation for whom rock once carried the winds of revolt, a meaning now lost.
More than enough to secure this album a place among our “Indispensables”—a work of rare curiosity, deserving of international recognition for its ability to speak to art lovers across the Western world.
Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, February 25th 2025
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