You don’t really think of guitar in the context of classic Coltrane do you. But think again these days as Swedish guitarist Gustav Lundgren makes a great fist at entering the Coltranian universe chiming with the recent centenary of John Coltrane’s birth. It brings together Lundgren with drummer Jorge Rossy, pianist Rasmus Sørensen and double bassist Pär-Ola Landin.
So no sax.
Do I feel pangs? No. I just listen differently. It’s very middle of the road and comes over like early Coltrane more than anything and before all the “wacky” [meaningful, deep life changing music you mean!] later stuff happened. Fans of plucky Epsom road warrior Nigel “come on down the” Price “is right” I think will like what Lundgren does although the Swede is less of a Wes merchant than his Nigeness. But just like the Englishman the Swede has more chops than an Amazon warehouse or two stocked up and ready to go before the Christmas rush.
Recorded at Stureparken Studio in Stockholm [no me, neither], the album includes Coltrane compositions such as ‘Moment’s Notice’, ‘Mr. P.C.’, ‘Central Park West’ and ‘Slowtrane’. The arrangements allow the guitar to bring a lighter, more transparent quality to the material. Rossy is a very swinging drummer and does the business here delightfully.
- In the YouTube at top Swedish jazz club Fasching in Stockholm, Lundgren once again is with pianist Rasmus Sørensen, bassist Pär-Ola Landin and the classic Mehldau – Art of the trio era Catalan cat – drummer Jorge Rossy. Plays Coltrane is new in marlbank‘s top Eurojazz list of the year,
