Album Name: Serenity Bobo Stenson Trio

Release Year: 1999

Record Label: ECM
Style: Modern Creative / Avant-Garde Jazz / Post-Bop
Musicians: Bobo Stenson (piano); Anders Jormin (bass); Jon Christensen (drums)
Review: A double-length album release, Serenity, displays a clear and intent vision
of just that, an experience of calmness and tranquility. Stenson, Jormin, and
Christensen have been playing together for in excess of two decades, and the result
of this project clearly exemplifies the patience and intuition needed to produce such
gorgeous tracks of colour and texture. Stensons melodic lines are razor-sharp,
underlined by a harmonic framework formed from his jazz, folk, and classical
experience. Christensens spacious and versatile use of percussion is always
pushing the listener in and out of their attention, adding to the emotionality of each
moment. Jormins earthy and warm tone on his bass fasten the other two together,
whilst still maintaining a sense of freedom. His intonation and overall tone is second
to none, and resembles that of a trained classical musician.
Serenity is a joy to listen to, as it is a combination of many acquired styles by three
musicians with a true rapport and vision. At times, there is a clear sense of
serialism, atonality, and freeness to the song, as in the intro on El Mayor. It then
transforms into a journey of great depth. Jormin and Stenson have an obvious
confidence and trust in each other, sharing the sonar space quite beautifully. Both
Stenson and Jormin and equally responsible for the colorful harmonies implied, each
giving a modest yet integral amount of harmonic depth with each line and fill.
My personal favorite track on Serenity is Simple & Sweet. After a virtuosic and
impressionistic bass intro, Stenson enters with a contemplative melody, followed by
an uplifting and inventive improvisation. The song is well rounded in its arc and has
the give-and-take from all three musicians that is essential to the sophistication and
creativity which shines through the entire album.
There is a certain atmosphere projected by the Bobo Stenson Trio. One can easily
imagine a picturesque nature scene in this music. They paint an image of water,
sky, and a briskness that may only be found through a contemplation of what is
offered in their music. North Print gives the impression of a cold, dark night,
perhaps some northern lights. Overall, the Bobo Stenson Trio gives us an amazing
album of emotion, talent, and creative invention.
Tracks: CD1) T., West Print, North Print, East Print, South Print, Polska of Despair(II),
Golden Rain, Swee Pea, Simple & Sweet, Der Pflaumenbaum; CD2) El Mayor, Fader V
(Father World), More Cymbals, Extra Low, Die Nachtigall, Rimbaud Gedicht, Polska of
Despair (I), Serenity, Tonus
Reviewed by: Daryl Nichol