Search - Jan Johansson :: Swedish Folk Songs

A masterpiece!

Anders Nordmo Kvammen | Oslo, Norway | 02/27/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I grew up with this music, and after hearing at least thousand times, I still appreciate it. I have listened to lot's of Jazz, but this masterpiece will always be nr.1 for meg. I recommend to purchase the vinyl, because I think that it adds more joy to the listening. Espesially if it is a little bit old. Then you get that cosy noise. (That is based on my personal memories, thou).



The music is dreamy, yet pure and clean. Jan's piano along with a great bass. All the songs are originally old folk songs from Sweden.



I really recommend this, and I cant imagine anyone who wouldn't appreciate this. I would also like to recommend Jazz på Ryska, Innertrio and Musik genom fyra sekler which is in my opinion his best albums (along with this as nr.1)"

One of the best albums ever recorded

Lars M. Garshol | OSLO Norway | 10/19/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you listen to music for the melody, don't read any further, just buy this record. It really is that good.



The songs are all traditional Swedish folk tunes, so old that in most cases nobody really knows who made them any more. The recording is instrumental, with just piano and acoustic bass, and the arrangements are spare, slow, hypnotic, and jazzy, in a way that brings out the immense dignity and beauty in these melodies. There is a joyful-yet-sad quality to these tracks that is so strong, and so beautiful, it could make your heart stop.



This album gets zero media coverage in Norway, and yet somehow it has become a cult classic. Lots of people I meet know about it, and a CD store in Oslo tell me they order another 20 copies of this CD every week. For a 40-year-old CD by an obscure artist that's marketed solely by word of mouth, that's quite impressive...



There really is no reason to hesitate over this album. I've given it away as a gift to lots of people, and played it for lots more. So far, nobody has been less than impressed."

A Swedish Jazz Masterpiece

Todd Landman | East Bergholt, UK | 06/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have been a huge fan of Bobo Stenson ever since I heard him on Tomasz Stanko's Litania. I have collected pretty much every thing Bobo has recorded. While in Stockholm last week, I learned of this Jan Johansson CD as one of Bobo's influences. After one listen, it is clear why. This CD is a sublime example of the correspondence between jazz and folk music. Johansson's style is evocative of George Shearing and John Lewis. It reminds of some of the playing on MJQ's No Sun in Venice, and it is also similar to the great Norwegian trio led by Tord Gustafson. I can highly recommend this to anyone who is into the very best of Scandinavian jazz...."