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

Review: Tilo Weber - Tesserae (We Jazz Records)

We know We Jazz Records but who'd have thought they'd be on the forefront of the baroque revival!

Who knew that there is a baroque revival I here you say.!  Well, over in France/Canada, they know that Pierre Chrétien and  Ed Lister are on it with their OST inspired Cinephonic album 'Visions' (review HERE) so here's a German/Finnish/Austrian jazz trio take as Tilo Weber (drums), Petter Eldh (bass) of Koma Saxo and Elias Stemeseder (various keyboards/electronics).

And it's not just the obvious harpsichord baroque as Elias can take us into the synth of the future, really Like 'In Expitaxy' as its got something of the Sun Ra about it.There's eight tracks on this album so I wouldn't get too tied to the 'Baroque' tag as there's more to it than that.

This is a fun trio jazz album that's not all dour or minimal; check out the lively Barry Lynden romp of 'Entrope Nestled' or the wild flute on 'Sacre Sacre' and sax on ' Soul Redoubled'.
All the compositions are by Weber and it's so far from a typical drummer led trio as all three migrate from their 'instruments' as it does get a little wild at times

As we do know We Jazz, even thought this is far from the label's most recent releases. the Big band of 'Agatha 2 (with Ricky​-​Tick Records - see review HERE) and Antti Lötjönen's 'CircusCitadel - see review HERE), it's got me and more please. 

Artist: Tilo Weber Trio
Title: Tesserae 
Release date: 21st April, 2023
Label : We Jazz Records
Catalog Number : WJLP53 / CD / Digital / Bandcamp