Five-Star Collection... The Swinging Swedes

The Swinging Swedes • The Cool Britons

New Sounds From The Old World

This LP disc is unique in several respects. For the first time on any record, it presents a compact and complete picture of the best in modern jazz from the two European countries that have taken an undisputed lead, over all others outside the United States, in developing first-class talent in this field. For the first time it combines in one comprehensive LP the best in writing, in thinking and performing, that the brilliant young stars of Great Britain and Sweden have given the jazz world.

Every musician on Summertime, Pick Yourself Up and the double-length Cream of the Crop was selected, in a poll taken by Estrad magazine among 25 Swedish music critics, as the No. 1 man on his instrument — and the superb arrangements were the work of the No. 1 penman, Gösta Theselius, whom we hailed in Down Beat as the most brilliant new arranger on the jazz scene, irrespective of country.

(...)

No less remarkable is the swinging spirit of the all-star British groups under the leadership of Johnny Dankworth. Born in London in 1927, Johnny extracts his mellifluous tone and modern style from a plastic saxophone, an idea that has since been copied by several top American jazzmen. On the first two tunes, Birdland Bounce, Leapin' in London, Johnny conducts the winners of a poll conducted among readers of the English weekly Melody Maker, playing two of his own arrangements. The other two numbers, Tea for Me, Cherokee, are played by Johnny with his own combo, which was elected the country's No. 1 small band in the poll.

(...)

All in all, the performances in this double-header might well be described by one of the Swedish titles; they are, in every respect, the cream of the crop. *Leonard Feather (liner notes)*

New Sounds from the Old World is the apt title of this LP, which puts the best British and Swedish jazz back to back.

British titles are eloquent testimony to the triple talents of Johnny Dankworth, as alto man and arranger on all four sides, leader of the bigger group of Melody Maker poll winners on the first two numbers and of his own award-winning combo on the last pair. They also show off a fine trumpet man, Jimmy Deuchar, Ronnie Scott's tenor, several other confident soloists, and rhythm section work that's most effective on Bounce, the best item of the bunch.

We've already saluted the Swedes' Summertime and Pick, released as a single. The six-minute Crop is no less impressive. Theselius wrote a fascinating 12-bar theme and intermittent flashes of arrangement that break up the solo passages admirably but leave plenty of room for everyone to expound at length: Ericson's trumpet, Persson's trombone, Wickman's clarinet, Domnerus' alto, Norin's tenor, Gullin's baritone, Linde's vibes, Hallberg's piano, Carlberg's guitar, and, backing them all beautifully, Brehm's bass and Norén's drums. We've heard hundreds of Scandinavian sides, and to our knowledge this was the most successful date ever cut by the Swedes. Don’t miss it.

*Down Beat, Chicago, March 25, 1953*

Note: At the time of this review, the magazine did not identify the author. They only expressed: “Records in this section are reviewed and rated in terms of their musical merit.” In this case, the five stars went to The Swinging Swedes. The Cool Britons received only four stars.

Side 1

The Swinging Swedes

1 - Pick Yourself Up

(Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields)

2 - Summertime

(George Gershwin)

3 - Cream Of The Crop

(Gösta Theselius)

Side 2

The Cool Britons

4 - Birdland Bounce (a.k.a. Brand's Essence)

(Traditional, arr. Johnny Dankworth)

5 - Leapin' In London (a.k.a. Marshall's Plan)

(Traditional, arr. Johnny Dankworth)

6 - Tea For Me (a.k.a. Seven Not Out)

(Johnny Dankworth)

7 - Cherokee

(Ray Noble)

#1, #2, #3:

Rolf Ericson (trumpet), Åke Persson (trombone), Putte Wickman (clarinet),

Arne Domnérus (alto sax), Carl-Henrik Norin (tenor sax), Lars Gullin (baritone sax),

Ulf Linde (vibes), Bengt Hallberg (piano), Sten Carlberg (guitar),

Simon Brehm (bass), Jack Norén (drums).

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden, September 5, 1951

#4, #5:

Kenny Baker (trumpet), Gordon Langhorn (trombone), Henry McKenzie (clarinet),

Ronnie Chamberlain (soprano sax), Johnny Dankworth (alto sax), Ronnie Scott (tenor sax),

Dave Shand (baritone sax [#4]), Victor Feldman (vibes), Ralph Sharon (piano),

Ivor Mairants (guitar), Charlie Short (bass), Jack Parnell (drums).

Recorded in London, England, February 3, 1951

#6, #7:

Jimmy Deuchar (trumpet), Eddie Harvey (trombone), Johnny Dankworth (alto sax),

Don Rendell (tenor sax), Bill LeSage (piano), Eric Dawson (bass), Tony Kinsey (drums).

Recorded in London, England, July 29, 1950

Zoot Sims on Prestige (I)

Throughout his career, Zoot Sims was famous for epitomizing the swinging musician, never playing an inappropriate phrase. He always sounded inspired, and although his style did not change much after the early 1950s, Zoot's enthusiasm and creativity never wavered.

Zoot's family was involved in vaudeville, and he played drums and clarinet as a youth. His older brother, Ray Sims, developed into a fine trombonist who sounded like Bill Harris. At age 13, Sims switched permanently to the tenor, and his initial inspiration was Lester Young, although he soon developed his own cool-toned sound. Sims was a professional by the age of 15, landing his first important job with Bobby Sherwood's Orchestra, and he joined Benny Goodman's big band for the first time in 1943; he would be one of BG's favorite tenormen for the next 30 years. He recorded with Joe Bushkin in 1944, and even at that early stage, his style was largely set.

After a period in the Army, Sims was with Goodman from 1946-1947. He gained his initial fame as one of Woody Herman's "Four Brothers" during his time with the Second Herd (1947-1949). Zoot had brief stints with Buddy Rich's short-lived big band, Artie Shaw, Goodman (1950), Chubby Jackson, and Elliot Lawrence. He toured and recorded with Stan Kenton (1953) and Gerry Mulligan (1954-1956). Sims was also a star soloist with Mulligan's Concert Jazz Band of the early '60s and visited the Soviet Union with Benny Goodman in 1962.

A freelancer throughout most of his career, Sims often led his own combos or co-led bands with his friend Al Cohn; the two tenors had very similar sounds and styles. Zoot started doubling on soprano quite effectively in the '70s. Through the years, he appeared in countless situations, and always seemed to come out ahead. Fortunately, Zoot Sims recorded frequently, leading sessions for Prestige, Metronome, Vogue, Dawn, Storyville, Argo, ABC-Paramount, Riverside, United Artists, Pacific Jazz, Bethlehem, Colpix, Impulse, Groove Merchant, Famous Door, Choice, Sonet, and a wonderful series for Pablo.

Let's review his early recordings, starting with those made in Europe in the early 1950s and compiled by the Prestige label.

Zoot Sims

First Recordings!

Although as I write this Zoot Sims is about a month short of becoming 45, he is already one of the grand veterans of jazz. Coming from a family of vaudevillians and musicians he took to the road with big bands at an early age and traveled all over the United States. For many years this native Californian has made his home in New York but he has also lived for extended periods in Europe and spent time on the Continent touring with small groups and big bands. I once commented to him on his wide and varied travels and he drily replied, "I don't even look out the window anymore". 

It was in 1950 that he took his first trip to Europe and recorded for the first times with groups under his own leadership. (This is why the title First Recordings! which do not refer to sides he made with Joe Bushkin and Woody Herman, among others, long before these.) Zoot was in Europe in 1950 as a part of a sextet that Benny Goodman 

assembled especially for the tour. Roy Eldridge was aboard (Zoot and Roy recorded together under Roy's name for Vogue in France and later played as the front line in a 

quintet at Birdland after their return to the U.S.) as were Dick Hyman and Ed Shaughnessy who appear in this album. Among the countries in which they appeared were Sweden and France and Zoot recorded in both places. 

It has been twenty years for Zoot Sims since these First Recordings! and his talent has deepened along with his tone. Consistency has been his middle name and as great 

as he has always been he is even better today. But with the great ones the early work stands well the test of time. The proof is within these covers. *Ira Gitler (liner notes, September 1970) 

A nice little collection of early work by Zoot — all dates from 1950, and featuring material that was originally issued by Prestige on 10" or 7" eps! The package brings together a huge amount of tracks — 15 in all — and players include Gerald Wiggins, Pierre Michelot, Lee Konitz, Lars Gullin, Dick Hyman, Jimmy Woode, and Toots Thielemans. Titles include "Slingin Hash", "You Go To My Head", "Tickletoe", "Yellow Duck", "Dedicated To Lee", and "Linger Awhile".

*Dusty Groove, Inc.*

Side 1

1 - You Go To My Head

(Haven Gillespie, J. Fred Coots)

2 - Tickletoe

 (Lester Young)

3 - All The Things You Are

(Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II)

4 - Yellow Duck

(Gunnar Almstedt, Lars Gullin)

5 - The Way You Look Tonight

(Dorothy Firlds, Jerome Kern)

6 - Dedicated To Lee

(Lars Gullin)

7 - Late Date

(Lars Gullin)

Side 2

8 - Linger Awhile

(Zoot Sims)

9 - Night And Day (Take 1)

(Cole Porter)

10 - Night And Day (Take 2)

(Cole Porter)

11 - I Understand

(Kim Gannon, Mabel Wayne)

12 - Don't Worry 'Bout Me

(Ted Koehler, Rube Bloom)

13 - Slingin' Hash (Take 1)

(Zoot Sims)

14 - Slingin' Hash (Take 2)

(Zoot Sims)

15 - Tenorly

(Zoot Sims)

#1, #2, #3:

Zoot Sims (tenor sax), Toots Thielemans (harmonica),

Jimmy Woode (piano), Simon Brehm (bass), Jack Norén (drums).

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden, April 23, 1950

#4, #5:

Zoot Sims (tenor sax), Sixten Eriksson (trumpet), Lars Gullin (baritone sax),

Dick Hyman (piano), Charlie Short (bass), Ed Shaughnessy (drums).

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden, April 24, 1950

#6, #7:

Zoot Sims (tenor sax), Lars Gullin (baritone sax), Lee Konitz (alto sax),

Conte Candoli (trumpet), Frank Rosolino (trombone), Don Bagley (bass), Stan Levey (drums).

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden, August 25, 1953

#8 to #15:

Zoot Sims (tenor sax), Gerald Wiggins (piano), Pierre Michelot (bass), Kenny Clarke (drums).

Recorded at Vogue Studios, Paris, France, June 6, 1950

Stan Getz And Swedish All Stars

Stan Getz

And Swedish All Stars • Vol. 2 

Featuring Bengt Hallberg

In Europe today, the musical portrait is a rather unusual one. In Paris, one finds only three clubs with Jazz in any form. Don Byas in his own club, Sidney Bechet in another, and Roy Eldridge at the last one. Note, all three are names with backgrounds of over 15 years on the Jazz Scene. The newer faces like James Moody and Kenny Clarke, well they are there, thats all. 

England has never gotten over Benny Carter and Coleman Hawkins. Italy knows only of Duke and Louis, not that that’s bad but there are so many more faces on the Jazz Horizon. 

It is Sweden and Denmark that have come along with the new sound. They have let us hear a few of their sounds like the late Stan Hasselgrad, Rheinhold Svenson, Peter Rasmussen and the greatest little group in Svend Asmussen. From these sounds, we were left hungry for more. 

In Sweden at Easter time there are a series of Jazz Concerts presented in seven major cities. They usually import one or two American jazz musicians depending upon the cost of the artist. This year they honored Stan Getz with an invitation. 

Upon his landing in Stockholm they had a welcoming party of hundreds of Jazz fans who had a banquet waiting for Stan. So on it went, every city he visited the fans turned out en masse, banquets and parties followed. Every morning as Stan would prepare to depart for another city and another concert, there would be champagne breakfasts, toasts to Stan’s good health and Bon Voyage.

Stan was thrilled, rejuvenated at the thought of this tribute to his talent, overwhelmed with joy Stan, chose to record on his last day in Sweden a living memory of all this, his greatest victory ever. 

He chose the same musicians who worked with him on this concert tour, and as Stan put it, "never have I ever felt more like blowing than that day", need we say more? 

And for those who crave for more Swedish Sounds we suggest a close ear to the pianistics of Bengt Hallberg. *Teddy Reig (liner notes)*

As critic John Bush recalls, 1951 was a busy year for Stan Getz. After leaving Woody Herman's band in 1949 spending the better part of a year on his own, he found his first great rhythm section at a Hartford club jam session.

Just three weeks later, 24-year-old Stan Getz was playing in Stockholm with some of the biggest names in Swedish jazz at the time, recording eight tracks (ranging from Porter's "Night and Day" to the traditional "Ack, Värmeland du Sköna") in two days with a classy all-star group that included a light-fingered young pianist named Bengt Hallberg.

Here are those rare recordings made by Roost Records.

Side 1

1. Standanavian

(Stan Getz)

2. Prelude To A Kiss

(Duke Ellington)

3. I Only Have Eyes For You

(Harry Warren)

4. Dear Old Stockholm

(Traditional)

Side 2

5. Night And Day

(Cole Porter)

6. Flamingo

(Ted Grouya, Edmund Anderson)

7. Don't Get Scared

(Stan Getz)

8. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You

(George Bassman, Ned Washington)

#1 to #5, #8:

Stan Getz (tenor sax); Bengt Hallberg (piano); Gunnar Johnson (bass);

Jack Norén [#1, #4, #5, #8], Kenneth Fagerlund [#2, #3] (drums)

#6, #7

Stan Getz (tenor sax), Lars Gullin (baritone sax), 

Bengt Hallberg (piano), Yngve Åkerberg (bass), Jack Norén (drums)

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden, March 23 (#1 to #5, #8), and March 24 (#6, #7), 1951

Rolf Ericson And His Swingin' Swedes

Rolf Ericson

Swedish Pastry

One of Sweden's finest trumpeters, Rolf Ericson was born in Stockholm, Sweden, on August 29, 1922. He moved to New York City in 1947 and, in 1949, joined Charlie Barnet's big band and then with Woody Herman in 1950. Later, he worked with Paul Gonsalves, Charlie Parker, and Charles Mingus.

Returning to Sweden in 1950, he recorded as a leader and with Arne Domnérus, as well as for Leonard Feather's Swinging Swedes and Lars Gullin. He returned to the U.S. during 1953–1956, and played with the big bands of Charlie Spivak, Harry James, the Dorsey Brothers, and Les Brown, and was with the Lighthouse All-Stars. In 1956, he toured Sweden and played with Ernestine Anderson and Lars Gullin.

From 1956 to 1965, he was back in the U.S., working with Dexter Gordon, Harold Land, Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Rich, Benny Goodman, Gerry Mulligan, Dan Terry, Max Roach and Charles Mingus, among others. He was with the Duke Ellington Orchestra from 1963 until 1971. In the early 1960s, he made three recordings as a member of the Rod Levitt orchestra (octet). Ericson played with the Al Porcino Big Band in Berlin in the late 1970s and early 1980s. His warm tone and creative yet melodic style were always considered an asset.

Rolf died in Stockholm, on June 16, 1997.

When American fans first became aware of the existence of a modern jazz cult in Sweden, one of the first musicians to spread the good word around was Rolf Ericson, the Stockholm-born trumpet player, who had emigrated to America in 1947, and played with Woody Herman, Charlie Barnet, Elliot Lawrence, Benny Carter and other name bands. 

Rolf's pride in the accomplishments of his fellow-Scandinavians was concerned not only with the individual solo talents of the Swedes, but also in their ability to weld themselves into clean-playing, neatly-arranged jazz units. 

Most of these men ...(who accompany Rolf in this album)..., at one time or another, have won the annual poll conducted by Sweden's ESTRAD magazine. When you hear these performances you'll undoubtedly agree with the Scandinavian jazz fans who voted for them.

*Leonard Feather (liner notes)*

Side 1

1 - Miles Away

(Ericson)

2 - How High The Moon

(Morgan, Lewis)

3 - Conservation

(Theselius)

4 - Perdido

(Tizol)

Side 2

5 - Strike Up The Band

(Gershwin)

6 - The Nearness Of You

(Carmichael)

7 - Lullaby In Rhythm

(Profit, Sampson)

8 - Git Straight

(Ericson)

#1 to #4:

Rolf Ericson (trumpet), Georg Vernon (trombone), Arne Domnérus (clarinet, tenor sax),

Gösta Theselius (tenor sax), Lars Gullin (baritone sax),

Reinhold Svensson (piano), Simon Brehm (bass), Sven Bollhém (drums).

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden, September 19, 1950

#5 to #8:

Rolf Ericson (trumpet), Arne Domnérus (alto sax),

Rolf Blomquist (tenor sax), Lars Gullin (baritone sax),

Gunnar Svensson (piano), Yngve Åkerberg (bass), Jack Norén (drums).

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden, January 10, 1951

Nils Lindberg And The Swedish Modern Jazz Group

 Nils Lindberg (1933-2022), a pioneering Swedish jazz composer and pianist, left an enduring mark on various musical genres. In 1960, he recorded the present album consisting of seven tracks, four of which stand as a testament to his unique fusion of jazz, Swedish folk music, and classical influences.

Crucial to the project's success were the first-rate musicians Lindberg enlisted: Rolf Billberg (alto sax), Harry Bäcklund (tenor sax), Allan Lundström (tenor sax), Lars Gullin (baritone sax), Sture Nordin (bass), and Conny Svensson (drums). Collectively recognized as The Swedish Modern Jazz Group, they were expertly arranged and conducted by Lindberg, contributing to the overall excellence of the album.

Lindberg drew inspiration from Swedish folklore in compositions such as "Curbits", "Play for Love", and "Zodiac". Particularly noteworthy, "Brand New" stood out for its exclusively Swedish style and original construction, presented as a suite with interconnected parts.

The remaining tunes, "Blues for Bill" and "Birdland", brought additional jazz diversity to the album. "Just a Take"' featuring improvisation by Lars Gullin and Rolf Billberg, emerged as a standout and it turned out to be one of the highlights of this album.

Titled Sax Appeal, the album, originally released on the Swedish Barben Records label, not only captured Lindberg's innovative approach but also showcased the exceptional musicality of all the musicians involved in this project.  *Jordi Pujol*

The Swedish Modern Jazz Group

Sax Appeal

Yes, those frigid Swedes were able to swing in the early 1960s, as this album of music conducted by pianist Nils Lindberg and featuring the Gerry Mulligan-inspired baritone sax of Lars Gullin will testify. The first seven songs have the two teamed up with Conny Svensson/dr, Sture Nordin/b, llan Lundstrom/ts, Rolf Billberg/as and Harry Backlund/ts. The horns are upbeat on "Birdland" with some nice CA Cool tones from Billberg and Gullin, while the horns are elegiac on "Blues For Bill" with Backlund's warm tenor giving memories of Getz. Gullin's baritone glows, with the two tenors volley back and forth on the swinging "Brand New". Lindberg's TV Orkester makes a few changes as Gullin steps out for Tosten Wennberg, and Lunstrom sears through "Cotton Tail" and Lindberg is splashy on "Moonlight in Vermont". Swinging northern lights. *George W. Harris*

A music critic described Swedish composer and pianist Nils Lindberg as a "musical knight", riding on the frontiers of music. I looked through his extensive discography and saw jazz, classical composition, Swedish folk music. He was a busy guy. When it comes to jazz he worked with the great Swedish jazz vocalist, Alice Babs. He wrote arrangements for Duke Ellington. He worked with Josephine Baker, Judy Garland, and Mel Torme.

The Swedish Modern Jazz Group, recorded in 1960, didn't have any brass players, but you get a lot of saxophone. The arrangements are silky smooth. It's West Coast California cool, with a touch of the older swing band sound.

On "Curbits" Lars Gullin has the first solo on baritone sax, and it's gorgeous. Allan Lundström solos next on the tenor sax. Rolf Billberg steps in next on the alto sax. I'm struck by how good all the saxophone players are. Was there something in Sweden's drinking water that turned sax players into phenomenal soloists?

Lindberg was a fine jazz pianist, but maybe a bit tentative. He sure knew how to write pretty melodies.

Lars Gullin intros "Brand New", There’s a lovely duet with bassist Sture Nordin. The basslines are thick and resonant. Lindberg's piano dances along the upper keys, creating a charming contrast. Harry Bäcklund and Allan Lundström, both on tenor sax, collaborate and then trade off amazing solos. Drummer Conny Svensson's brushwork on the cymbals is flawless.

Lindberg composed most of the music, but the band does Charlie Ventura's "Birdland", and it's a knockout. Beautiful unison playing, drummer Svensson is given free rein, and he goes for it. There is a fabulous alto solo from Billberg. The rest of the sax players show their stuff. I was familiar with Lars Gullin. I had not heard of these other great sax men.

There are four tracks from another of Lindberg's bands, Nil Lindberg's TV Orkester. Trumpeter Maffy Faley and trombonist Ake Peerson were added. Tosten Wennberg replaced Lars Gullin on the baritone sax. Their version of "Cotton Tail" was performed by a much smaller outfit than the Duke Ellington orchestra, but they played their hearts out. There are some excellent solos from everyone, even Lindberg, despite having to play on a tinny-sounding piano.

"Blues For Bill" is another Lindberg composition. Bass and piano comp for a bit, and then there is this great theme. It reminded me of the theme from The Andy Griffith show. The band plays in unison, before the tenor sax, trumpet, and trombone show off their improvization skills.

Sax Appeal is a great album. If you’re not that familiar with Swedish jazz, this is a good place to start.

There is no better jazz reissue label than Fresh Sound Records. They remaster everything they put out. Many times, the reissue sounds better than the original. *Tim Larsen*

1 - Curbits

(Nils Lindberg)

2 - Blues For Bill

(Nils Lindberg)

3 - Brand New

(Nils Lindberg)

4 - Birdland

(Roland, Ventura)

5 - Just A Take

(Gullin, Billberg)

6 - Play For Love

(Nils Lindberg)

7 - Zodiac

(Nils Lindberg)

8 - Cotton Tail

(Duke Ellington)

9 - Taboo

(Ernesto Lecuona)

10 - Blues For Bill

(Nils Lindberg)

11 - Moonlight In Vermont

(Suessdorf, Blackburn)

#1 to #7, from the album Sax Appeal  (Barben SBLP-1004 Stereo)

Rolf Billberg (alto sax), Harry Bäcklund (tenor sax),

Allan Lundström (tenor sax), Lars Gullin (baritone sax),

Nils Lindberg (piano), Sture Nordin (bass), Conny Svensson (drums).

Recorded at Europa Film, Stockholm, Sweden, February 9 and 10, 1960

Tracks #8-11, from the album Jazz in TV Time (Columbia SEGS 74)

Maffy Falay (trumpet), Åke Persson (trombone),

Allan Lundström (tenor sax), Tosten Wennberg (baritone sax),

Nils Lindberg (piano), Sture Nordin (bass), Conny Svensson (drums).

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden, October 31, 1960

Lars Gullin Quartet, Quintet, Sextet, Octet and Orchestra

Lars Gullin

Baritone Sax

Lars Gullin, the Swedish saxman, was reckoned as one of the greatest baritone saxophone soloists of his time. His personal playing, composing and arranging style was somewhat reminiscent of Gerry Mulligan's, but he was also heavily influenced by Lee Konitz' alto playing. He played with all the greats when they visited Scandinavia, and was ranked high in Down Beat's polls during the fifties.

This man and his music, 1950's bebop oriented, well crafted and arranged jazz with a tinge of Swedish folklore, deserves a lot of attention! This album is a great first look into his work, heart-and-ear-pleasing music by a true romantic! Check this one out! *amazon.com*

An amazing American release from this legendary baritone saxophonist – one of a few Swedish sessions that Lars issued here in the US at the time! The album's a perfect introduction to Gullin's groundbreaking work – that blend of soul, swing, and modernism that easily made him one of the best talents on his instrument in the postwar years – an overseas player to rival gians like Pepper Adams or Serge Chaloff here in the US! The work is some of Lars' best from the decade – and the tracks feature his modernist baritone in different groupings with top Swedish jazzmen of the time – including Rune Ofwerman on piano, Arne Domnerus on alto, Rolf Blomquist on tenor, Ake Persson on trombone, and George Riedel on bass. The tracks are all longish (most are over 5 minutes), with a strong swing, and introspective solos by Gulling that are some of his strongest of the time – and titles include "Perntz", "Fedja", "All Of Me", and "So What".  *dustygroove.com*

1 - Summertime

(George Gershwin, DuBose Heyward)

2 - Fedja

(Lars Gullin)

3 - A Foggy Day

(George and Ira Gershwin)

4 - Perntz

(Lars Gullin)

5 - All Of Me

(Seymour Simons, Gerald Marks)

6 - Mean To Me

(Roy Turk, Fred E. Ahlert)

7 - So What

(Gerry Mulligan)

#2 and #4: Lars Gullin Octet

Georg Vernon (trombone); Arne Domnérus (alto sax, clarinet); Carl-Henrik Norin (tenor sax); Lars Gullin, Rune Falk (baritone saxes) ; Rune Ofwerman (piano); George Riedel (bass); Bert Dahlander (drums).

Stockholm, Sweden, April 23, 1956.

#5: Lars Gullin Quartet

Lars Gullin (baritone sax), Rune Ofwerman (piano), Bengt Carlsson (bass), Bert Dahlander (drums).

Stockholm, Sweden, April 24, 1956.

#7: Lars Gullin Quintet

Lars Gullin (baritone sax), Åke Persson (trombone), Rune Ofwerman (piano), George Riedel (bass), Bert Dahlander (drums).

Stockholm, Sweden, April 25, 1956.

#1 and #3: Lars Gullin With Gösta Theselius And His Orchestra

Jan Allan, Weine Renliden, Nisse Skoog, Bengt-Arne Wallin (trumpets); Gordon Ohlsson, Åke Persson, Georg Vernon (trombones); Arne Domnérus (alto sax); Rolf Blomquist, Carl-Henrik Norin (tenor saxes); Rune Falk, Lars Gullin (baritone saxes); Rune Ofwerman (piano); George Riedel (bass); Bert Dahlander (drums). Gösta Theselius (arranger).

Stockholm, Sweden, April 25, 1956.

#6: Lars Gullin Sextet

Lars Gullin (baritone sax), Åke Persson (trombone); Arne Domnérus (alto sax), Rune Ofwerman (piano), George Riedel (bass), Bert Dahlander (drums).

Stockholm, Sweden, April 26, 1956.

Lars Gullin Quartet

One of the top baritone saxophonists of all time and a giant of European jazz, Lars Gullin would be better known today if he had visited the U.S. often and if excessive drug use had not cut short his career. Early on he learned to play bugle, clarinet, and piano, and was actually a professional altoist until switching to baritone when he was 21. Sounding somewhere between Gerry Mulligan and Serge Chaloff, Gullin played in local big bands in the late '40s and was in Arne Domnerus' sextet (1951-1953), but is best known for his own small-group recordings. He played with such touring Americans as Lee Konitz (a major influence), James Moody, Clifford Brown, Zoot Sims, and Chet Baker, and recorded frequently during 1951-1960, with "Danny's Dream" being his most famous composition.  *Scott Yanow*

Lars Gullin was one of the most famous baritone saxophonists from Sweden - actually he was elected the new star of the year (1954) by a board of critics, on baritone saxophone in the Down Beat Critics' Poll. Also, before the Critics' Poll, many US Jazz players who toured to North Europe noticed Lars Gullin's artistry - such musicians as Chet Baker, James Moody and Stan Getz played with Lars Gullin.

Like Gerry Mulligan, he doubles on baritone sax and piano. But of course his primary instrument is baritone sax. His tone is heart-warming as well as swingy - as Chet Baker recalled Lars in his late days: "... Lars played with a lot more fire and a lot more authority in some ways than Gerry did". *microgroove.jp*

Lars Gullin is one of the very few European jazz musicians who consistently appear on American all star polls. One of the reasons for this is that many European musicians imitate American styles and sounds rather than creating for themselves. 

Gullin is certainly an exception to this general rule. Now in his middle twenties, he has been playing baritone for a number of years, still keeping his hand in on the tenor which was his first instrument. Speaking as a musician, as well as a composer and arranger, Lars has long felt that the efforts during recent years to produce "new sounds" in jazz have resulted in many rather strained and unmusical recordings. 

He feels that this is so because arrangers and musicians have tried too hard to be original in their manner of writing and playing, instead of concentrating on what they are creating. As he says, what really has had any importance in "new sounds" has evolved from minds less concerned about the originality as such than about musical sincerity in exploring new tone colors in the jazz idiom. 

This is not to say, of course, that there is anything wrong with experimenting with different combinations of instruments. These sides, for example, feature an instrumentation which has probably never before been used on records — that is, the combination of guitar, baritone, bass nd drums. 

But what is most striking about this album is more than just the smooth and delicate sound that this unusual blend produces. It is most particularly the feeling of cohesion and continuity which is present in the inventive. writing, the closely integrated team work and the warm and intelligent solo work. This is jazz chamber music at its best.

It is with considerable pride, then, that EmArcy presents these examples of modern jazz, jazz without a foreign accent, but still freshly and beautifully Made in Sweden. *(Liner notes)*

Side 1

1 - Danny's Dream

2 - Be Careful

Side 2

3 - Igloo

4 - Circus

(All compositions by Lars Gullin)

Lars Gullin (baritone sax), Rolf Berg (guitar), George Riedel (bass), Robert Edman (drums).

Recorded at Europa-Film Studio, Stockholm, Sweden, May 25, 1954.

Gösta Theselius And All Stars - Swedish Jazz

Gösta Theselius born in Stockholm, June 9, 1922. Started musical studies on piano at the age of seventeen, played with a military orchestra, taking up clarinet and tenor saxophone. In 1940, started making orchestrations for dance bands and continued playing sax and clarinet until August, 1955. He is now considered Sweden’s foremost jazz arranger and composer, and has seven motion picture scores to his credit. His favorite composers are Stravinsky and Ravel. *Liner notes*

By remaining neutral during WWII, the Swedes avoided a Nazi occupation and were able to listen to the changes in American jazz. Consequently while their European counterparts were mired in Dixieland in the postwar period, the Swedes were into west coast cool jazz. If I didn't know who the players were, I'd have thought this was a California session. For example, they even manage to capture the Four Brothers sound on Michel LeGrand's "Cool and Cosy." Recorded in Stockholm in 1956, the session features players who went on to be Swedish Jazz Masters such as Arne Domnérus (alto sax), Lars Gullin (baritone sax), Åke Persson (trombone), George Riedel (bass), Egil Johanssen and Bengt Hallber, piano. Its a fine album worth multiple listenings!!! *Sadie Softshoe (amazon.com)*

Really wonderful work from the postwar side of the Swedish scene — modern jazz from leader Gösta Theselius, recording here with one hell of a great group! Theselius may not be that well known on these shores, but the record features key work from players who are — including Bengt-Arne Wallin on trumpet, Lars Gullin on baritone sax, Arne Domnérus on alto and clarinet, Bengt Hallberg on piano, and Åke Persson on trombone — all the sorts of players who made the Swedish scene one of the most exciting non-American jazz spots in the 50s! Theselius plays a bit of piano, handled arrangements, and also contributed a number of tunes — but the soloists really get the most sparkle in the set, and although the tracks are shortish, they all manage to really do a lot with the space — in ways that are similar to some of the west coast Americans who inspired them at the time. Titles include "Brewin", "Cool And Cosy", "The Swingin Thirds", "Strollin", "Just Like That", "Bugs", "Havana Horn", and "Chips".  *dustygroove.com*

Side 1

01 - Kreta

(Gösta Theselius)

02 - Laugh Or Cry

(Stanley Applebaum)

03 - Chips

(Frank Engelen)

04 - Havana Horn

(Gösta Theselius)

05 - Brewin'

(Gösta Theselius)

06 - Sabbath Blues

(Arne Domnérus)

Side 2

07 - Just Like That

(Ted Sommer)

08 - Just Lonely

(Gösta Theselius)

09 - Bugs

(Lars Gullin)

10 - Strollin'

(Billy Mure)

11 - The Swingin' Thirds

(Walter Yost)

12 - Cool And Cosy

(Michel Legrand)

Gösta Theselius (piano, arranger, conductor); Bengt-Arne Wallin (trumpet); Bjarne Nerem (tenor sax); Rolf Blomquist (tenor sax, flute); Arne Domnérus (alto sax, clarinet); Lars Gullin, Lennart Jansson (baritone saxes); Åke Persson (trombone); Bengt Hallberg (piano); Georg Riedel (bass); Egil Johansen (drums).

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden, April 27 and 28, 1956.

Leonard Feather's Swingin' Swedes - New Sounds From Sweden Vol.1

Almost all recordings in Sweden in the 1950s were issued on EPs, the little 7" 45rpm album. The leading record label was Metronome, which released about 500 albums during the decade, most of them jazz records.

In the 1950s Sweden was kind of the center of European jazz. Lots of gifted musicians had plenty of venues to play, and could make their living on jazz. Jazz was still the young people´s music, and there were huge and interested audiences. There were radio programs, special jazz magazines and also jazz features and reviews in weekly magazines and daily newspapers. And there were an abundance of jazz records.

Many Americans visited the country, played in concerts and clubs and made recordings with the domestic stars. The best Swedish musicians became wellknown over the jazz world.

First time Swedish jazz draw public attention abroad was at the jazz festival in Paris in 1949. A Swedish group with Arne Domnérus and Putte Wickman among others, made great success in several concerts and became one of the French public's favorites, despite competition from stars such as Charle Parker and Miles Davis.

The success led to magazine features and radio programs in both Europe and the United States. In USA, Leonard Feather started playing Swedish jazz records in his program "Jazz at its best", and other stations followed. Records from Metronome reviewed in the American jazz press.

Leonard Feather arranged recordings in Stockhom in 1951 with the young Swedish modernists. They were issued the same year in USA on this 10" LP (Prestige 119). In Sweden the recordings were issued on Cupol 78s. *birkajazz.se*

The eight performances on this record are the product of a trip made to Sweden to investigate the glowing reports I had heard about that country's modern jazz. 

Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, Roy Eldridge and many other visitors to Stockholm came home raving about the musicians presented here. 

All but one of the Swingin’ Swedes, by the way, were voted No. 1 on their respective instruments in the first national poll conducted by the Swedish jazz magazine ESTRAD.

Four of the numbers are played by a seven-piece band. This group gets a bigger and cleaner sound than most groups of its kind, thanks to the musicians' fine ensemble interpretation of four arrangements written by the brilliant Gösta Theselius, who won the ESTRAD award as top arranger.

Maybe these eight numbers will give you a pretty clear picture of why more and more people are agreeing that outside the U.S., Sweden is producing the best modern jazz to be heard anywhere. As they would say at Birdland: man, it's a crazy country! *Leonard Feather (liner notes)*

Side 1

1 - The Daring Young Swedes (On The Flying Trapeze)

(arr. Gösta Theselius)

2 - Moonlight Saving Time

(Kahal, Richman)

3 - Swedish Butterfly

(GöstaTheselius)

4 - Meet Me Tonight In Birdland

(Williams)

Side 2

5 - Rain On The Roof

(Ann Ronell)

6 - A Handful Of Stars

(Lawrence, Shapiro)

7 - The Swedish Music This Side Of Heaven

(Feather)

8 - September Serenade

(Dizzy Gillespie)

#2, #5:

Putte Wickman (clarinet), Reinhold Svensson (piano), Rolf Berg (guitar), Simon Brehm (bass), Jack Norén (drums).

#1, #6:

Rolf Ericson (trumpet), Arne Domnérus (alto sax), Lars Gullin (baritone sax), Reinhold Svensson (piano), Simon Brehm (bass), Jack Norén (drums).

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden, June 28, 1951.

#3:

Rolf Ericson (trumpet), Arne Domnérus (alto sax), Carl-Henrik Norin (tenor sax), Lars Gullin (baritone sax), Bengt Hallberg (piano), Simon Brehm (bass), Jack Norén (drums).

#4:

Rolf Ericson (trumpet), Arne Domnérus (alto sax), Lars Gullin (baritone sax), Toots Thielemans (harmonica), Bengt Hallberg (piano), Simon Brehm (bass), Jack Norén (drums).

#7:

Åke Persson (trombone), Carl-Henrik Norin (tenor sax), Bengt Hallberg (piano), Simon Brehm (bass), Jack Norén (drums).

#8:

Rolf Ericson (trumpet), Åke Persson (trombone), Arne Domnérus (alto sax), Lars Gullin (baritone sax), Bengt Hallberg (piano), Simon Brehm (bass), Jack Norén (drums).

Recorded in Stockholm, Sweden, July 4, 1951.