Farewell to the peerless Komeda saxophonist Bernt Rosengren

Classic Knife in the Water (Nóż w wodzie, dir. Roman Polański, 1962) Krzysztof Komeda theme 'Ballad for Bernt' - played by the Swedish tenor saxophonist Bernt Rosengren who has died aged 85 - is on our minds today given news of the death of the …

Published: 19 May 2023. Updated: 11 months.

Classic Knife in the Water (Nóż w wodzie, dir. Roman Polański, 1962) Krzysztof Komeda theme 'Ballad for Bernt' - played by the Swedish tenor saxophonist Bernt Rosengren who has died aged 85 - is on our minds today given news of the death of the great saxophonist.

It certainly takes us instantly back to 1997 and Litania on which he formed a pivotal part of Tomasz Stańko's septet in this classic Komeda homage. Rosengren according to reports died in Stockholm on 12 May.

Rosengren's albums included Stockholm Dues (1965) and his career saw him play with both Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization theorist George Russell and the pioneering world-jazz erstwhile Ornetttan innovator The Shape of Jazz to Come icon Don Cherry. Rosengren with Cherry appeared on albums that included 1973's Eternal Now.

Read more via Google Translate on the Polish connection to Rosengren in a fine tribute contained within the pages of Polish jazz magazine Jazz Forum that includes excerpts of an interview with Rosengren conducted by Marek Piechnat two years ago.

Bernt Rosengren: photo: Hreinn Gudlaugsson/Wikipedia

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Bruno Heinen and James Kitchman, Rain Shadows, Ubuntu ***1/2

Featuring a small version of the First Quartet band that gelled so very well last year. So, pianist Bruno Heinen - one of the very best jazz pianists in the UK at the very highest level technically and artistically - superb with The W on record in …

Published: 18 May 2023. Updated: 11 months.

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Featuring a small version of the First Quartet band that gelled so very well last year. So, pianist Bruno Heinen - one of the very best jazz pianists in the UK at the very highest level technically and artistically - superb with The W on record in recent times in duo with the fast rising guitarist James Kitchman - the less prog-inclined so far anyway Chris Montague of his generation perhaps if one would be so audacious to risk comparison.

Rain Shadows corresponds to the way Heinen worked with another guitarist, the Dane Kristian Borring, on their very fine Postcard to Bill Evans permeated by the sound of Jim Hall and the genius of Plainfield. This is not themed in the same way at all. However, the mood music and sensibility are remarkably similar although the style is far less impressionistic and more 1970s bucolic jazz American.

Kitchman tune 'Rain Shadows' - the title track - has intervallic leaps, a salty clash, maybe a slightly unorthodox guitar tuning - in any case the main idea is deftly resolved. Heinen's 'Snowed in With Cedar Walton' is the most familiar of these pieces - it is on The W's Kings Place EP linked to below and is a significant piece. 'Warm Valley' with what sounds like Northumbrian or similar folk music grace note dots in the guitar inflections has the exactitude of a close study but contains a looser atmosphere that sits well with the quite different world of the late Mick Goodrick. Certainly work by Goodrick was a go-to destination when listening time to Rain Shadows ended. Worth investigating.

Out on Friday 26 May

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James Kitchman and Bruno Heinen, photo: Phelan Burgoyne/Ubuntu