Search - Bobo Stenson :: War Orphans

The Scandinavian Invasion

David J. Engel | Bethesda, MD USA | 07/02/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Here is another great trio date from pianist Bobo Stenson, bassist Anders Jormin and drummer Jon Christensen. War Orphans is filled with colorful explorations and is a great example of how a trio can communicate in a supremely intuitive manner. I am grateful to, as an avid listener, have been a part of the amazing and varied music that has come our way from Scandinavia over the last 3 or 4 decades. The music of Bobo Stenson, Jan Garbarek, Palle Danielssen, Terge Rypdal, Jon Christensen, Arild Anderson and others has washed us in brillant sound, color, and rhythm. Don't miss it!"

Quite sophisticated but not 5*

David J. Ohanlon | Lilyfield, NSW Australia | 12/01/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"On this 1997 date with Anders Jormin on bass & Jon Christensen on drums, pianist Bobo Stenson plays four originals (of which Jormin contributes three) plus works by Ornette Coleman (including the title tune), Silvio Rodriguez ( the opening "Oleo de mujer con sombrero") & Duke Ellington (the closing "Melancholia").

The playing is generally pretty "spare" but certainly not laid back as this really is a trio of equals with quite a lot happenng on each track. Here, however is the conundrum - the piano playing, although excellent rarely reaches third gear yet the rhythm section almost always seems to be a notch busier. As an example Christensen frequently overdoes the cymbal work (eg on "Natt", "All my Life" & "Sediment") & often the overriding effect on the listener is a tad unsettling as, in the absence of any real "melodies" you start yearning for either or both some major soloing space or some dynamic change of mood or tempo among the tracks. Of couse there is "some" soloing space but it often seems to be placed at the beginnings of tunes (especially Jormin's) & so has no intra-tune context nor allows an already commenced piece to occasionally "come up for air".

Accordingly, a not completely satisfying effort probably more 3.5* than 4. Highlights are the opener "Oleo......sombrero" which has the most memorable "tune", "Eleventh of January" which is a notable exception to all my above-mentioned criticisms & "Bengali Blues" with some nice slapped bass, heavy drum beats & even strummed piano strings."

Remarkably Fine

Karl W. Nehring | Ostrander, OH USA | 08/08/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The musicians in the Bobo Stenson Trio have been closely associated with saxophonist Charles Lloyd over the years. Here they are performing as a trio, and the musicianship is masterly. These guys--Bobo Stenson on piano, Anders Jormin on bass, and Jon Christensen on drums--play together so well, blend together so seamlessly, that the end result is utterly spellbinding. The sound is something like Keith Jarrett's Standards Trio, but different (note that Jarrett once also played with Lloyd, and Christensen with Jarrett), and for those put off by Jarrett's humming, the vocal reticence of Bobo Stenson might come as a welcome change. Interestingly enough, two of the cuts, the title cut and "All My Life," are by Ornette Coleman, not a composer I would associate with a Scandinavian piano trio. This really is a remarkably fine piano trio recording, and I recommend it with utmost enthusiasm to those who enjoy the genre."