Swedish pianist Jan Johansson (1931-1968) remains a haunting influence through pristine modal harmony, a painterly almost impressionist distance, and the harnessing of the lilt of Swedish folk music on jazz in Europe. Johansson is certainly a hero to leading advanced pianists notably Kit Downes and many fine players before him including most influentially in the lifetime of the groundbreaking e.s.t., the much missed Esbjörn Svensson.
There's a very different, at times utterly timeless hybrid pre-classical and jazz, take on the Johansson sound on a numinous new choral-flavoured Ensemble Edge tribute just released on the Danish Storyville label that includes their deeply poetic take on the sound. Work from 1964 Johansson classic Jazz på svenska (''Jazz in Swedish') is included.
Musicians involved on the gorgeous Dimma – a tribute to Jan Johansson include lead singer Karmen Rõivassepp and pianist Calle Brickman who swing 'Kvällar i Moskvas Förstäder' ('Evenings in Moscow's suburbs') or as Kenny Ball 1960s trad-jazz fans more familiarly know it 'Midnight in Moscow' so delightfully.
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