Daniel Trio Lantz Remember When CD - Import

On their second album Swedish jazz group Daniel Lantz Trio (Daniel Lantz, piano - Mattias Astrom, double bass - Daniel Olsson, drums) present an exciting selection of original material. Containing ten powerful and varied tracks, the disc boasts nine original compositions by Daniel Lantz himself, and one standard. The nostalgic title 'Remember When' actually points to the pianist's memories of the past, as the songs - musical souvenirs - were produced on various occasions over a period of eight years. Lantz' own voice and style of composition is highly varied and although rooted in a firm jazz mold, his creations are refreshingly enticing as they cross between jazz, blues, bebop to pop, film music, classical, latin, folk music and even world fusion. Piano player Daniel Lantz, above all a jazzman, is a multi-faceted musical personality that through his varied background in pop, rock, folk/ethno, classical, film and theatre music displays a wide range in his musical expression. This is made very evident in his ability to swing ferociously in fast tempos as well as finding meaningful, musical tranquility in slower numbers. Influenced by pianists like Bill Evans, Ahmad Jamal, Wynton Kelly and Keith Jarrett, Lantz' melodic lyricism, balanced touch and harmonic versatility on the piano make him a delightful performer. Alike many Swedish fellow pianists such as Esbjorn Svensson and Jan Johansson, Lantz' sound betrays a Scandinavian melancholy, coupled with the earthy roots of American jazz and blues, as well as a uniquely personal quality. Whilst possessing fine technique, Lantz never overplays, but rather shows full awareness of the importance of silence and careful phrasing in music.Lantz founded his trio in 1999 and has ever since continued to develop its expression in terms of interplay, dynamics and repertoire. Drummer Daniel Olsson's stylistic freedom and rhythmic imagination, in combination with bassist Mattias Astrom's driving and melodic bass approach, beautifully complements Lantz' improvisational outings on the keyboard. Unusually for a group that has been together for such a long time, 'Remember When' is only their second CD. Their debut-CD 'On The Tiles', where they join forces with Swedish top flautist Staffan Hallgren, was praised by critics for its impressive swing, and, somehow, comes across as a highly enjoyable prequel to 'Remember When'.The music on 'Remember When' is lyrical, moody and peaceful without sacrificing verve and energy, and it showcases Lantz' unfailing ability to create catchy, memorable themes without making things overly complicated. In the liner notes, Lantz never reveals his intentions with the music, but the titles and moods still give the listener a pretty clear idea of what they are about. The opening track "Summer Without End" captures the heat of a long summer with its latin rhythms, its laid-back cocktail lounge-feel and Henry Mancini-flavoured choral harmonies. The title track "Remember When" is a soft and flowing waltz that perfectly puts us into a nostalgic state of mind for reminiscing; its strong, bittersweet melody and melancholy chords makes it easy to understand why it was chosen as the title piece of the disc. "Masquerade" is a feverishly pumping fusion latin piece that finds us exploring the trio's more extrovert and energetic sides. Thereafter, flute guru Staffan Hallgren makes a welcome returning guest performance on Lantz' effervescent samba "Fresh Orange Juice", appropriately chilling and refreshing. "Parloga", a beautiful creation in 7/4-metre, is closer to a pop ballad than jazz, and is another fine example of how Lantz conjures up a strong melody with very simple means. Especially moving is Lantz' piano solo "Distant Friend", whose unmistakable, simple beauty goes straight into the listener's heart. The oddly-titled "Mit Schwung", a German phrase meaning 'with a groove', is a pun, jokingly wanting to disprove the myth that German jazz does not swing, and is an example of wha