Bugge Wesseltoft, 'Tide,' Jazzland *****

The second track from Be Am – 'Roads' with Hakon Kornstad released before Christmas was a delight – and 'Tide' too, solo piano rather than electric keys and sax this time, again has a heart-on-sleeve bittersweet melody that hooks you in quickly …

Published: 4 Feb 2022. Updated: 2 years.

The second track from Be Am'Roads' with Hakon Kornstad released before Christmas was a delight – and 'Tide' too, solo piano rather than electric keys and sax this time, again has a heart-on-sleeve bittersweet melody that hooks you in quickly Wesseltoft sounding more mature and wiser than ever. It's four minutes that operates almost beyond genre although you get a gospelly almost hymn-like veneer to the ballad Wesseltoft keeping the dynamics tied to a particular weight throughout and gradually decorating the raw bones of the melody in a beautiful way. One of the best things we've heard all year and this again ups the ante still further in terms of expectation towards the album's release in a few weeks' time.

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Søren Kristiansen and Thomas Fonnesbæk, The Touch, Storyville ****

What a stunning tribute to Oscar Peterson and NHØP this is from Danish pianist Søren Kristiansen and fellow countryman bassist Thomas Fonnesbæk. Stripped back to lush, ringing melody the pair deftly navigate a host of material that spools on from …

Published: 4 Feb 2022. Updated: 2 years.

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What a stunning tribute to Oscar Peterson and NHØP this is from Danish pianist Søren Kristiansen and fellow countryman bassist Thomas Fonnesbæk. Stripped back to lush, ringing melody the pair deftly navigate a host of material that spools on from 'Soft Winds' and 'Nigerian Marketplace' to 'On Danish Shore' a magical 'Wheatland' and lastly 'Hymn To Freedom'. Overall this all has such an intact, pristine, quality to it and contains a great feel and rapport between the two players as well as an ear for the mood and the sensibility of Oscar Peterson and NHØP. A delight from start to finish. The Touch is aptly named because these two certainly have it in infinite supply.