Meet Some of the Swinging Swedes
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DO N BI 1 I NEWS-FEATURES Chicago, November 30, 195 Bouquet To Sweden Meet Some Of The Swinging Swedes By LEONARD FEATHER of Prestige records here, sounded New Tork—In a hastily-prepared, schnapps-splattered dis exactly like the Shearing quintet. patch from Stockholm which appeared in the Aug. 10 Beat, About 30, he’s from way up in Prestige Buys A this roving reporter promised to acquaint you at a later date, north Sweden, got a good educa tion at a school for the blind, both biographically and photographically, with some of the plays organ and good classics. Swedish Sides young Man who make the Swedish ---------- Looks like a young Charles Laugh jau picture so astonishingly bright 1 ton and has a similarly caustic New York—Swedish jazz wil to every visiting American. personality. get a big boost in the U.S.-as a On most instruments Sweden of- Was the big hit at the inter result of a series of deals recent!' fers a choice of several major tal national jazz festival held in Paris completed by Prestige records. ents. but for the present I’d like in 1949. Has blind wife and house In addition to the sides cut b to introduce mainly those who were maid, two siirhted children. Under Leonard Feather in Stockholm, re first-place winners in the poll con cently issued on a Prestige LP, th pseudonym "Hammond Olsen,” has ii ducted recently by Estrad. for made very successful comic corny same label will soon present which 25 Swedish jazz critics did duets, Twelfth St. Rag and stuff, set of piano solos by 19-year-ol E all the voting. which squarer Swedes lap up. Bengt Hallberg, a session by bari in Bad Influence* Guitar voting was u 10-point tonist Lars Guilin, and many othe d sides, under the comprehensive ti And if it occurs to you that tie between Rolf Rerg and Sten Carlberg. Roth, of course, play tie “New Sounds from Sweden.” ti some of the Swingin’ Swedes might Most of the sides were acquire< rate a place in the Down Beat poll, electric guitar; neither has any thing in common with Django from the Swedish Metronome com *1 too, mark me down as a subversive- pany, which plans to record Le< pro-Swede-anti-American influence. Reinhardt. (Sweden has about as much in common with France, mu Konitz during his visit there nex Trumpet winner, of course, was week. 29-year-old Rolf Ericson, whose sically, as New York has with Iowa.) Berg, who was on Roy El bi own story appears elsewhere in tli this Swedish survey. Rolf took dridge’s Swedish sides, worked at part in the series of sides cut the American Legation in Stock Sunday Sessions during my visit, with most of the holm as a guide, is now playing poll-winners, eight of which are with Andrew Burman. Latter is a Start In Brooklyn due out here on a Prestiee LP disc, Swedish drummer who’s also an rs I executive of Metronome records, New York — Jazz fan Johnny and one of which (Swedish Butter- Armstrong has stalled a seriet fivl one of a half-dozen nrogressive- shows him at his verv best in of Sunday jam sessions at tht a tasteful, pretty, muted solo. minded independent labels Gosta Theselius Bedford Rest, Brooklyn. Aake Persson, the trombone win Followed Ha»selgard Running from 4 to 8 p.m., ses ner, is 19 years old and a bashful Fi Clarinet winner was Putte Wick Svensson, has toured successfully sions ->pot Buck Clayton, Bustei countrv boy from south Sweden— man, who followed the late Stan trne Domnrru» in Germany and other countries in Bailey, Ken Kersey, Arthur Her gt the only cat on the all-star session Hasselgard in two jobs: replaced the past few months. Sounds like bert, and Cliff Jackson. who couldn’t speak Enerlish. But tenor sax duet with James Moody him with Arthur Osterwald when Buddy DeFranco with a Tristano nt when he blows he sneaks fluent Stan was drafted, and with Simon influence. st American and could be mistaken 'on Two Fathers (Prestige) which Lester Young mistook for an Brehm when Stan took off for On bass, the ace is Simon Tatum To Cafe Society ri for Kai or JJ. Discovered bv bass America. Now 26, has his own Brehm, who has often been called ist Simon Brehm, he plaved valve Ammons-Stitt duet. On baritone, New York—The Art Tatum trie the reaction he usually produces band which includes Reinhold the Swedish Chubby Jackson, al opened at Cafe Society on Nov. 8, wi trombone in his school band and though Chubby no longer has a has been gigging with Brehm. among। Americans who hear his following Terry Gibbs’ quintet thi records is “Why, he’s better than beard and is no longer fat. Simon, Art will remain for five weeks, he Allo Man (Gerry Mulligan!” who may well be the best-liked guy with Claude Hopkins’ quartet also foi in Sweden both musically and per The alto winner. Arne Dom- Worked with Stan on the bill. thi nerus, is a bashful, clean-living sonally, is 29, Stockholm-born, had av Bengt Hallberg, the winning pi Erroll Garner and dancer Teddy guv in his early 20s who. though his own vibes-clarinet quintet fea Hale come in on Dec. 13. on he’ll inevitably be compared with 'anist, was two months shy of his turing Stan Hasselgard, which also Hi Bird, has a personal style that 19th birthday when he cut the recorded with Tyree Glenn as ow I becomes apparent after awhile. 'Swingin ’ Swedes session, and sev guest soloist. Played Switzerland the votes in this department, but Also plays fine clarinet. Some of 1eral months short of that when and Denmark with commercial also got six votes for his tenoi mi his records so impressed a Bird- he did his well-remembered eight bands, but lately has had his own sax work and one for his piano. to land operative that attempts were !sides for Roost with Stan Getz. combo on the road in Sweden. In Has been featured on records on wii made to get him over here for a Hails from Gothenburg, studied satiable appetite for everything— both instruments. of date in the club, a venture that 1privately, has broadcast with his solid, liquid, and musical — and, Theselius’ writing has produced do< was promptly quashed bv the 1own bop quintet. Has a better ear like most of his colleagues, speaks some of the finest and most origi AFM. than most musicians twice his age. excellent colloquial English. nal jazz group sounds since the The tenor winner. Carl-Henrik JHallberg grabbed 17 votes in the Jack Noren, the victorious drum Miles Davis band on Capitol. J Norin, is 29, began playing about ।poll. Gunnar Svensson, who placed mer, is a Swedish-American, born Moreover, the men to whom he lici 10 years ago in Malmo, was a side ’with five, has cut many fine rec in Chicago in 1929, whose parents hands his music interpret it with ny, man before entering the army, and ords including some piano duet took him to Sweden in 1946. Went loving care, pay attention to dy sea has had his own sextet most of the sides with Reinhold Svensson, who to Englewood High school A very namics and shading, never let a wh time since leaving it: is a good !showed with only two votes. hip cat with an unbeatable beat; record go through with a fluff. his showman and a versatile musician Far from reflecting on the blind now working with the Ericson- These, then, are the men who, he who has graduated from a pseudo- 1pianist ’s talents, this merely re Domnerus combo at the National between them, have made more an< Ventura kick into a completely 'jects the embarrassment of riches ballroom in Stockholm. first-class organized small-band sue natural Getz-like sound. on the Swedish jazz scene; all Winner for miscellaneous instru jazz lately, in their little country ; Lars Gullin, the baritone win three of them are excellent. And ments was Uffe Linde, whom you of fi,000,000 people, than has been vid ner, came closest to a unanimous by the way, Gunnar Svensson is may know from his work on the produced in the whole length and Bei vote—24 of the 25 critics voted related to Reinhold Svensson like Svensson quintet sides; and the breadth of the United States of froi for him. Now 24 vears old, he , Kate Smith is related to Stuff top vocalist was Alice Babs, a good America Many of the sides they’ve hin has been prominent as a pianist, 'Smith. t>op singer with a huge local fol cut are due for American release; ma arranger, classical comnoser, has Beet Known owing. others are still available and. it hin plaved concerts around Sweden Reinhold is perhaps the best Finally, and perhaps most re is to be hoped, will be grabbed Pe< doing onlv classics; was clarinet- ।known Swede among American col markable of all, there is the No. 1 up soon. They should provide am tri] lectors, having cut numerous sides arranger, Gosta Theselius, who ple justification for our Bouquet Ve< ist in a militarv band on on island I Bengt Hallberg off the Swedish coast. Plaved a with’ a group that, at the request not only cornered all but two of To Sweden. the Stockholm The s Leonard in the center photo i» tenoriM Carl-Henrik Norin, one of the the evening in a highly appreciative and orderly enjoy- — Beat’ Feather is shown rigl beat of the Swedish modernists, whose work is discussed in photo at the left above with Reinhold Svensson, perhaps ment of the music—while standing up.