Review: Unionen - Unionen (We Jazz Records)

With the spirit of a Led Zep album via the echoes of Colosseum, did someone say jazz-rock is back, even with a hint of prog-concept!   

Here's a bit more history, when Sweden and Norway had an agreement with a common monarch (1814 - 1905), it was known as Unionen so there's no better name for the collaboration of Ståle Størlokken  (Supersilent), Per "Texas" Johansson, Petter Eldh (Koma Saxo, Peter Evans, ENEMY and many more) and Gard Nilssen (Supersonic Orchestra) as this hints of a supergroup.

That said, the eight orginal compositions do vary from the rockin' '6983' (a golden era perhaps, 1969-83?) to 'Ståhlbad', 'Tomikron' and the title track with varying degrees  atmospheric sax, piano, bass and percussion that you'd expect from a We Jazz 'Supergroup'.

It's been a fantastic year for We Jazz and Unionen end it with a 'composite' of sorts as this album could be said to have tied many of thier (be the band or even the label?) disparate parts all together.

This album has already reached the appreciative ears of Tom Ravenscroft, Deb Grant and Guy Garvey (all on BBC 6 Music) but it's so much more than a one track album.

Per "Texas" Johansson; tenor saxophone, clarinet, contrabass clarinet, cor anglais & flute 
Ståle Storløkken; grand piano, fender rhodes & synths
Petter Eldh; double bass, electric bass & mpc
Gard Nilssen; drums & percussion

UNIONEN LIVE
27.3. Fasching, Stockholm, SE

Artist: Unionen
Title:  Unionen
Release date: 6th December, 2024
Label : We Jazz Records
Catalog Number : WJLP79
Format: LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp