In a few days the Rifftides staff flies to Europe to report from the Ystad Jazz Festival on the southern coast of Sweden. Organized by pianist Jan Lundgren in 2010, the festival has developed into one of Europe’s most important music events. Among the US contingent August 2-5 will be Benny Green, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Eliane Elias and Kurt Rosenwinkel. Billy Harper and Victor Lewis will play with Swedish trumpeter Anders Bergcrantz. Dozens of Europe’s brightest stars will perform, including Bengt Hallberg, the dean of modern Swedish jazz
pianists, in a two-piano concert with Lundgren. Tomasz Stanko, Richard Galliano, Paolo Fresu, Arild Anderson, Tommy Smith and Claire Martin are among other major artists set for the festival.
Ystad is one of Sweden’s best known small cities because of its beauty, its long history and, in modern times, because it is the headquarters of Kurt Wallander, a fictional detective who has become real to millions through novels and a successful BBC television series. If I catch a glimpse of Wallander, I’ll try to get a picture.
Quincy Jones is the festival’s guest of honor. His long involvement with Sweden dates back to classic recordings he produced and arranged in 1953 with Clifford Brown, Art Farmer and a group of Swedish all-stars, including Bengt Hallberg. Lundgren and the festival organizers have asked me to appear with Mr. Jones in a one-hour conversation at the Ystad Konstmuseum on August 4—something to which I look forward. To see the festival rundown and roster of artists, go here and click on “Programme.”
The nonagenarian pianist presented de Barros with every biographer’s hope, unrestricted access to his subject’s personal papers and nearly unrestricted access to her private thoughts. He made the most of it, turning exhaustive research and hundreds of hours of interviews into a true story with the sweep of a novel. From the early discovery of McPartland’s musical gift through her wartime service, her ecstatic and stormy marriage to Jimmy McPartland, her growth as a pianist, her deep affair with Joe Morello, and the radio show that made her a national figure, she has had a fascinating life. It makes a splendid read.
Mulligan’s Concert Jazz Band had three fewer musicians than most big jazz outfits. Its size permitted precision, flexibility and subtlety, yet the band had the power of sprung steel. In this concert from a half century ago, the CJB is as fresh as yesterday. Arrangements by Mulligan, Bob Brookmeyer, Al Cohn and Johnny Mandel set standards to which big band writers still aspire. Bassist Buddy Clark and drummer Mel Lewis inspired Mulligan, Brookmeyer, Conte Candoli, Gene Quill and Zoot Sims to some of the best soloing of their careers. This beautifully produced issue of the complete concert is a basic repertoire item.
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I’m glad to hear that Ystad has something so potentially cheerful happening. I know I am not alone in finding Wallander, and the Ystad settings, incredibly miserable and depressing.
We have them as Swedish films with subtitles or remade with British casting – in the same Ystad settings and equally depressing – but addictive for many.
VIVA JAN LUNDGREN – or SKOL! and good listening …
Please give my best regards to Quincy and Benny Green.
Wish I could go too! Have a great time. Hello to all our Swedish friends.
Ms. Mitchell and her late husband, the bassist Red Mitchell, lived in Stockholm for many years.
Quincy & Benny are fine, to be sure, but frankly if the RT Staff can give a hug to my biggest crush, Eliane Elias, I would be jealous, er, indebted. Wowza!