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| E.S.T. - Viaticum (2004) |
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| By John Kelman, allaboutjazz.com Together now for over a dozen years, E.S.T. has clearly developed a number of personal stylistic markers. Blending improvisation with a distinct pop sensibility that includes subtle use of electronics—with the exception of Dan Berglund's aggressive fuzztone arco bass—the trio has honed a sound incorporating elements of drum 'n' bass, electronica, funk, pop, classical and rock, without losing sight of its own voice. Often spoken of in the same breath as The Bad Plus, E.S.T. is the more elegant alternative, with considerably more finesse and richer colours than TBP's bombastic and monochromatic approach. Still, after eight albums including last year's Seven Days of Falling , and an ever-increasing performance schedule that has seen them become one of the most popular jazz touring acts in Europe with some forays into the American market, is it possible that E.S.T. has begun to fall prey to its own devices, sacrificing innovation for formula? With its latest disc, Viaticum , the answer is yes...and no. The common elements are all there: Berglund's distorted arco supplementing his supple pizzicato, Esbjörn Svensson's subtle electronic keyboard shadings tastefully enhancing his more dominant acoustic piano voice, and drummer Magnus Oström's combination of traditional drum kit with extended percussive techniques. While some groups make gigantic leaps from album to album, others grow gradually, and E.S.T. has a tendency to move forward in smaller increments, with each new album retaining a sense of the familiar while still forwarding new ideas that distinguish one release from the next. Even more than before, Viaticum reflects the diverse musical tastes of the band. A recent ”Musician's Playlist” article at Jazzviews found the trio citing influences as diverse as Pat Metheny, Deep Purple, Radiohead, Brad Mehldau and The Sweet, and Viaticum could only come from a group of players informed by sources as much outside the jazz frame of reference as from within. Tunes like “Tide of Trepidation,” with its verse-chorus form and hypnotically repetitive bass figure, and the similarly dark yet lyrical title track both bear some relation to Radiohead. “The Unstable Table & The Infamous Fable” combines clever counterpoint with a solo section where Berglund's overdriven bass may have roots in heavy rock but, over Svensson's arpeggiated piano, has equal origins in impressionistic classical music. Oström's gradually building drum pattern is a prime example of the kind of dynamic control that makes this group infinitely more interesting than TBP. The hidden bonus track, a regular feature on E.S.T. releases, is this time an exercise in atmospheric ambience. But as much as E.S.T. comes from a variety of sources outside the jazz tradition, improvisation is still a key element, the one thing that keeps it firmly defined as a jazz trio. Viaticum may have little to do with conventions like swing, but in the empathic and graceful interplay among Svensson, Berglund, and Oström there is still a clear link which is why, while TBP feels like a rock band approaching jazz, E.S.T. unquestionably comes from an opposing sensibility. =========================================================================== ***** Another great EST-album!, November 18, 2005 Reviewer: A.J.H. Woodcount "FJB/O!-music" The Esbjorn Svensson Trio is (one of) the best piano-trio's in the world. They prove the statement that it's impossible for jazz to renew itself, without changing it into something completely different to be totally wrong. The trio has been together for a long time, and that you can hear: they really listen to each other. They have to, because they tend to put so much space or silence in their music, that it would be very hard to play when they didn't. A lot of jazzcombinations change their strength a lot, and not always in their advantage. At jazzfestivals you here a lot of theme-solo-solo-solo-boringdrumsolo-theme-jazz, and that's allright when the individuals are interesting enough, but a lot of times it's simply not good enough. Somtimes the reason of that is that the bands are so good that they can change their personal a lot, but it doesn't always do the music good. And this is one of the differences between E.S.T. and some other jazzbands you could hear live. And then there's their tendency to use 'classical' or folkthemes in their music. E.S.T. does that right too: they're not trying anything but to make great music. They're not playing Bach on a banjo (wich is nice, but doesn't really get to you), but they just look (or listen!) for good themes as a base for their music. That's what they do best and that's what makes all of their albums since From Gagarin's Point Of View worth bying. What makes the music even better is that they seem to bring a lot of elements of their own Scandinavian musical culture into jazz. Maybe that's the explanation of the feeling you get when you see them play live: they really feel what they're playing. And that makes it possible for the audience to feel it to. E.S.T. is a piano-bass-drums trio, but they sound bigger than a normal trio. Together with the great sound of acoustic instruments they sometimes put in some electronic elements, but they never overdo it. Most of the time they use it as a contast, to keep the balance between 'the beauty and the beast'. A slightly distorted piano can sound like a recording from 1920 and that effect should even be a plus for the traditional jazz-audience. Esbjorn Svensson is a great pianoplayer. He can set a mood; he plays real good solo's; he almost lives his music. He's able to play very quietly and very loud and sometimes he does both thing within one tune but than a few times. He's very divers in his playing. The drummer always gets to you. Sometimes he starts of unobstrusively but somewhere he likes to take the song over to give the tune a groove that can't be denied. By Thor, it's not all silence and quietness! Once again it's about the contrast. On the album Strange Place For Snow you can hear a tune that has the bassplayer doing a very fast riddle together with the piano. The man on the bass used a line 6 pod (for guitar) on the two live shows I saw in Den Haag and Amsterdam to get some special effects. Very normal, considering what's being done in popular music. Also a great musician! If you don't know anything about E.S.T. it doesn't matter what album since From Gagarin's Point Of View you buy. The ingredients are the same: beautifull themes, contrast, silence, some electronics, acoustic jazz, building up to climax etc. All this is found on Viaticum too. What apeals to me on this album is the subtlety in the pianoplaying: every note is in the right place, and there's a great balance between free and melodic parts. The band as a whole sounds a bit more like a traditional jazz-band then on the other albums, but still in the unique EST-vocabulary. The classical or folkthemes you can hear on the other albums are a little less prominent on this album. The drumming is a little bit more laid-back, if possible. Sometimes it's very sad to see that good musicians don't get recognised enough for the things they are doing. And most of the time not because of the people being to stupid to recognise greatness or beauty, but because of comercial and not cultural considerations. When a lot of American jazzmusicians have that problem, what about Scandinavian? E.S.T. must be heared. Buy the album (or another one of E.S.T.) and spred the gospel of Scandinavian jazz! |