Hans Ulrik/ Steve Swallow/ Jonas Johansen - Believe in Spring

Stunt

The trio of saxophonist Hans Ulrik, bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Jonas Johansen tips the scales in favor of standards on this latest outing. Their last date delved into Tin Pan Alley-inspired originals and to terrific effect, but the turn to more familiar fare ends up an opportune one. Pianist Bobo Stenson and guitarist Ulf Wakenius guest separately on six of the eleven cuts. Their presence, particularly in the case of Stenson, emphasizes a softer, more lyrical bent in the trio, as on the opening reading of the title standard. Wakenius’ lightly amplified chords above Johansen’s gently staggered rhythm and the effect is akin to that of Paul Motian’s trio with Lovano and Frisell in its subdued style of expression. Stenson’s polished playing on Mal Waldron’s “Soul Eyes” sands away much of the melancholy edge from the tune, but Ulrik’s warmly nuanced tenor phrasing recalls Coltrane on the classic Prestige version. In tandem with cloying soprano on “A Child is Born” the pianist almost errs into outright treacle. With“Get Happy” the saxophonist tips his horn naturally in Rollins’ direction, sprinting through the theme before deferring to bright single note solo from Wakenius bracketed by frothing drums. Swallow is as sure-fingered and sagacious as ever on his fretted bass, whether building flexible harmonic bulwarks or boldly moving to the foreground for nimble funk-inflected solos as on the Ulrik-scripted “Falling Grace”. All the heat he’s absorbed over the years for doggedly holding fast to the electric instrument appears hardly warranted in the wake of the supple and responsive playing on display here. The three, Johansen in particular, seem to hang back a bit on the pieces with guests. It’s that slight deference to decorum that actually gives the trio tracks a leg up starting with “I’ll Remember April” where the Newk feeling is heavy again and the drummer takes the gloves off in an explosive break. “Broadway” also embodies the differential with Ulrik hitting the theme hard and Johansen building pounding rhythmic surf around him as Swallow percolates energetically beneath. Opening the enterprise up to company was a good idea on paper, but in the end it’s still the trio that plays best together.

~ Derek Taylor