Rahel Talts: Back And Forth
Three reflective, thoughtful albums with European and Scandinavian influences feature in this month’s digest. As a trio of albums they remind me why I like music from this part of the world so much, with its sense of authenticity and utter lack of pretension. Not a wasted note or wasted sentiment to be found across these fine releases.
Rahel Talt’s Back And Forth is this young composer, pianist and bandleader’s fourth release. As the title suggests, the music is about reminiscing on days gone by and anticipating days yet to come. Nostalgia mingles with a sense of excitement at looking forward, and that mixture of feelings is skilfully presented in the compositions and performance. Born in Estonia, Talts has used this latest album to capture her feelings about moving to Lithuania after living for some time in Denmark. A comprehensive biography about Rahel and access to more of her music can be found on her website and Bandcamp.
Back and Forth is an uncluttered collection of accessible material, aided by Talts’ ability to communicate a variety of emotions on the piano, ranging from slightly melancholic to joyfully swinging in party mood. Londoner Rob Luft serves up some lovely, dreamy solos on guitar, and Prasniewski and Lorup anchor the album with sensitive bass and drum work that gives the sense of moving backwards and forwards through time. Geography underpins much of Talts’ approach to making music. From Parnu – a reflective piece about her seaside hometown in Estonia, to the more upbeat Jungle Party written for the band’s tour of Southeast Asia in 2024, here is a talented young musician who really shows the ability to use the sense of time and place to make the most engaging of albums.
The album is primarily shaped by jazz but there are also folk influences at work. One of the loveliest tracks, Naujas Skyrius (Lithuanian for new chapter), reminds me of some of the compositions of Mathias Eick, full as it is of quiet drama, haunting simplicity and yearning for something that feels just beyond reach. An energising and joyful album.
Discography
Parnu; Time For Fun; Going Back; And Forth; Disappointment; Naujas Skyrius; Jungle Party (37.00)
Talts (p); Rob Luft (g); Donatas Petreikis (ts); Mariusz Prasniewski (b); Jesper Lorup (d). Tallinn, November 2024.
Rainbow Records
Søren Bebe Trio: Gratitude
Musicians seem to reach a point in life where it becomes important to give thanks for what they do and to the people who have supported them along the way. Joe Lovano’s recent album Homage had this as a central theme. Now, with their ninth studio album, the Søren Bebe Trio have dedicated this work to – in Bebe’s words – “the people who connect with our music, write to us and share how it’s touched their lives.”
As with previous releases, Gratitude contains elegant, melodic and atmospheric music. Understated yet rich with emotion, this certainly won’t disappoint fans of the trio, which has been performing since 2007. Alongside some Søren Bebe originals, there are beautiful covers of songs by Abbey Lincoln and Billy Joel. Joel’s And So It Goes is one of the loveliest ballads he has composed, and it is performed here without embellishment to retain the feel of the original song. It doesn’t need to be messed about with, and Bebe clearly knows this from his respectful approach. Lincoln’s Throw It Away has slightly more swing and sway to it and a Latin vibe in places. On this track, it is easy to understand why Bebe’s trio is often likened to that of Tord Gustavsen, with bass and drums playing an equal role in shaping the sound and feel of the song. Bebe acknowledges that several musicians have shaped his approach to playing over the years. From Oscar Peterson and Keith Jarrett through to Mette Henriette and Mats Eilertsen, all these influences and more have been absorbed and distilled into the spacious, contemplative music performed by the trio.
Delicate and restorative, Gratitude is a genuine thank you to listeners from one of the finest trios working today. To celebrate the release of the album, the trio has a 2026 European tour approaching, featuring performances in Denmark, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, France and Romania.
Discography
Frostblad; Good Enough; Tystrup So; A Much Simpler Song; And So It Goes; Silent Listener; Chico; Throw It Away; Gratitude (39.03)
Bebe (p); Kasper Tagel (b); Knut Finsrud (d). Denmark, 4-5 April 2025.
From Out Here Music FOHMCD026
Oskar Lindberget Quintet: Hymn To A Friend
Oslo-based Oskar Lindberget is another young musician who draws inspiration from several sources including Nordic jazz, folk and psalms. The music he composes and performs ranges from playful and fun to more serious and sombre work. For this debut album, Lindberget has teamed up with some colleagues he has played with over the years and taken the opportunity to take stock of his musical journey so far and where he might be headed next.
On tenor sax, Lindberget produces a big, roomy sound which he controls with great skill. His phrasing often reminded me of Eric Alexander and Stan Getz, which shows a wonderful ability and range on the instrument at such a youthful age. Indeed, there is a maturity and depth to both playing and composition that is sometimes hard to reconcile with the fact that Lindberget is still under 30 years of age. The quintet has a tight, disciplined sound to it, but that doesn’t get in the way of it performing some free-flowing, swinging jazz that is a delight to listen to. A good example of this is Mymble’s Theme which highlights the whole ensemble to good effect.
There are shades of light and dark to enjoy on Hymn To A Friend, and Lindberget has synthesised a range of influences with passion and enthusiasm to produce a wonderful debut recording. Everything comes together beautifully with the finale – Hymn To A Friend – which has a fragile, haunting quality that lingers in the mind as the final notes fade into the distance.
Discography
Intro; Var; MiRakel; Gulleborg; Mymble’s Theme; Duo (Breathe); Evig; Bela Ivanderland; Interlude; Arp; Hymn To A Friend (51.55)
Lindberget (ts, as, ss); Oystein Folkedal (p, kyb); Markus Kaardal (g); Hakon Huldt-Nystrom (b); Tobias Giovani Ronnevig (d). Halden, Norway, May 2024.
Losen Records LOS 314-2
