Perceptions and pronouncements about Nordic Jazz can often return to parts of the classic ECM catalogue with its sophisticated coolness, ambient leanings and breathtaking spaciousness. But naturally, the Scandinavian scene is so vibrant that the music’s boundaries are forever shifting, on the reach for new horizons. Over the last couple of decades, ever since the legendary EST came upon us, the Nordic jazz genre has become more of a geographic label than a stylistic summary. Marius Neset, Phronesis, Jaga Jazzist, Bendik Giske, Jakob Bro and anything on the Hubro label or April Records bring post classical, post rock and electronic experimentalism into play with bop and post-bop sensibilities.
Red Gazelle Trio, Kristoffer Vejslev (guitar), Peter Price (double bass) and Simon Forchhammer (drums) launched themselves into this rapidly expanding arena in 2014. Drawn from different locations at the time, Amsterdam, Odense and Copenhagen, the spark that moulded the three musicians together has obviously kept warm. Sure Vejslev, Price and Forchhammer have all developed other projects over the last ten years but Red Gazelle Trio seems like a home that they need to return to. Their first album 2018’s ‘Udkig’ lay their foundations, intricate but dynamic trio pieces, uncluttered and live sounding but shot with some psychedelic surprises. ‘In The Midst Of It All’ followed in 2021, sounding more structured perhaps but with new clarity and ambition, and now the trio have made their third statement ‘On A Human Level’ released via Zack’s MUSIC.
Unsurprisingly for this forward thinking group, the new album sees them pushing on with their own sound and vision. They’ve expanded to a quintet with US born, Copenhagen based Ned Ferm on sax and trumpeter Jakob Sørensen joining for the recording sessions. What these two stalwarts of the new Danish jazz scene enable goes beyond the obvious increase in sonic range. ‘On A Human Level’ sees Red Gazelle threading a more complex emotional tapestry through their tunes. This aligns with the deeper themes these pieces explore, written from the early days of COVID 19 pandemic until the time when main composer Vejslev’s thoughts swung towards his impending parenthood. So feelings around beginnings and endings, all the joys, sorrows and uncertainties of everyday life, underpin the music here.
As an album, ‘On A Human Level’ has a narrative flow bookended by two acoustic guitar miniatures from Vejslev, the edgy, delicate Til Mor and the bright joyful sigh of the closing Vuggevise. The overall pacing as the record unwinds from introduction to resolution is beautifully measured and any shifts in atmosphere feel unobtrusive. Murky Waters, the first tune involving the wider ensemble, revels in its slow, slightly mysterious progress. Vejslev’s doomy acoustic chords chime, the drums skitter nervously while Jakob Sørensen’s mournful trumpet echoes stillness. Significantly, by the song’s close there’s a chink of hope.
That uplift in mood is picked up immediately as Unfiltered Serenity bounds into action. The Price/Forchhammer rhythm section rumble along with a rolling swagger, neatly contrasting with the more elegant melody lines from the trio’s guesting brass section. Once again the guitar provides the glue with its zinging chords and the Jeff Beck-toned solo simply flies. To top that, the tune’s excitable mid-point banter between all three lead instruments will definitely grab attention.
What Red Gazelle Trio continue to do so well throughout this release is tread the fine balance between composed arrangements and improvisation. Nothing sounds stilted or aimlessly meandering. Point of Departure revolves closely around a minimal bass and guitar pattern which provides the anchor for some floaty, dream-chasing trumpet details (there’s a hint of Hassell here). Vejslev’s metronomic acoustic motifs also form the spine of All at Once, Once again with Forchhammer’s bowed bass adding the more sombre tones. Somehow from this mournful beginning magic happens as the rest of the band breeze in, to softly waft the tune towards a silky bossa mood.
As well as such poise, it’s the tuneful base at the heart of ‘On A Human Level’ which stands out. Talking about the album Vejslev has said “Every piece begins with a melodic idea that we build on together…” That dimension of their work shines through even on the looser, more impromptu tracks. Listen to the ambient intentions of Antidote as its slow swelling atmosphere gets stretched out delicately. There’s always a sense, as the sleepy guitar and trumpet curl up together, that the drift back to the yearning hook will arrive. The same diligence applies to the playful skip of Punktum, an expectant song penned by Vejslev about soon being a dad. Ferm’s funky sax break may get deliciously excited and the composer’s licks cheekily twanged but the succulent Township chorus line is always coming.
What this collection consistently captures is the sound of a band gelling together rather than pushing against each other. There’s a calmness around it and the same warmth reaching out that you can find in Tord Gustavsen’s natural soulfulness or Jakob Bro’s unwinding soundscapes. The bluesy glide of While We Wait and Peter Price’s beautiful airy ballad Could Have Been both underline such understated richness at the heart of Red Gazelle Trio’s music. Gracefully powerful, ‘On A Human Level’ is an album to be thankful for.
Look out for details about grabbing a CD/Vinyl copy of ‘On A Human Level‘ by Red Gazelle Trio HERE
