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Jonas Knutsson
Jonas Knutsson: Blaslatar
by Raul d'Gama Rose
To the English-speaking world, the titles of Blaslatar's songs may be daunting to pronounce, but it's strongly advised to get over it because that is when the true majesty and breathtaking beauty of Jonas Knutsson's playing can be truly appreciated. The saxophonist was raised in Umea, Sweden by parents who hosted the annual jazz festival there. Knutsson's first instrument was the alto, and he played mainly in the jazz idiom until he met vocalist Lena Willemark, who persuaded him to ...
read moreJonas Knutsson/Mats Oberg: Live
by Raul d'Gama Rose
An alluring aspect of this record, even before the first notes are heard is that it is simply titled Live. Expectation is enormous. It is a live" record. What will happen? The elasticity of the jazz idiom fills the musical prospect with great expectation. Finally, performing on this record are the magnificent Swedish saxophonist, Jonas Knutsson and pianist, Mats Oberg an artist of prodigious talent, who played on Zappa's Universe (Verve, 1991), conducted by Joel Thome and scores of sadly ...
read moreJonas Knutsson + Johan Norberg: Skaren: Norrland III
by John Kelman
Integrating traditional music from countries beyond the borders of the United States into jazz may sometimes seem a stretch. Sometimes it simply doesn't fit even the broadest definition of the music, but ultimately it matters not. Jonas Knutsson--familiar to ECM fans for his collaboration with vocalist Lena Willemark and multi-instrumentalist Ale Moller on the folkloric Nordan (1994) and Agram (1996)--has become Sweden's premier saxophonist in the folk/world sphere. The delicate beauty and joyous optimism of his Norrland series, teamed with ...
read moreThe Jonas Knutsson Quartet: Fly Away
by Jack Bowers
Lovely and persuasive chamber Jazz that’s not without its hot–blooded moments performed by a quartet of accomplished young Swedish musicians led by thirty–seven–year old saxophonist Jonas Knutsson. Except for Gershwin’s “I Loves You Porgy” (coupled with “On the Lee Side”), everything was written by Knutsson, and the music draws its inspiration from sources as disparate as Swedish folk songs and waltzes, the Brazilian Baiao, Afican pygmy music and of course, contemporary Jazz. The themes are bright and lyrical, and marked ...
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Music
Corridor (Part 2)
From: Ballad for a new worldBy Jonas Knutsson