Recording of the Week, Tord Gustavsen Trio - Seeing

The Tord Gustavsen Trio's previous album Opening was something of a quiet revelation, striking a chord with both us and our customers - it became Presto Jazz's best-selling album of 2022 by a country mile, as well as a recipient of one of the Presto Recording of the Year awards. So the anticipation for this follow-up has been high indeed. 

Exposed to music from an early age, learning the piano at age 4, Norwegian Tord Gustavsen grew up composing and improvising alongside learning to read and perform classical pieces. His early performing experiences were playing the piano in churches and accompanying choirs, and this religious background had a crucial influence on his life and musical journey. In 1993, Gustavsen took a significant step in his musical career by applying to the jazz department at the Conservatory of Music in Trondheim. During his three years at the conservatory, he delved deeper into the jazz idiom and history of the music. This formal jazz education was a formative experience, allowing him to develop his musical voice and connect with other musicians. The Norwegian returned to study at the University of Oslo and earned a graduate degree in musicology, specialising in the psychology and phenomenology of improvisation - a study in his life that permeates his writing and performances.  

Seeing is slightly different from its predecessors. The songs and compositions have more structure than previously but still maintain fluidity and elegance. The choice of music is well-balanced: original compositions, folk songs, and chorales by Johann Sebastian Bach. Accompanying the pianist are fellow Scandinavians Steinar Raknes (bass) and Jarle Vespestad (drums). Together, they weave through a combination of jazz, church music, and the blues. 

They open with ‘Jesus, gjør meg stille’, an abstract and sombre traditional Norwegian folk song (arranged by Gustavsen) that blossoms and builds; the piano and drums chatter, exchanging ideas above a bowed drone bass. The interplay between the musicians is patient and reflective, building to a climax at a blissful moment. ‘The Old Church’ is majestic and measured, both from a compositional and performance aspect. Tinged with the blues the momentum bustles, never crescendoing to an uncharacteristic volume, delicately exploring ideas that push-pull as a collective. Gustaven highlights “On this record, you won’t find much extensive soloing. Instead we tried to invest our musicianship in the interplay and the shaping of small improvised parts”. Fortunately for the listener, we are indulged to hear songlike solos from Gustavsen and Raknes on a track that personifies the Nordic sound.  

Despite being the title track, ‘Seeing’ flies under the radar, a tender piano prelude that dovetails with the entrance of the bass and drums. The harmonies are spatial, played with a light touch and designated time to breathe, culminating in an uplifting passage of the album. Bach chorale arrangements are pursued next: ‘Christ lag in Todesbanden’ evokes an air of dark mystery mixed with sonorous counterpoint, a slow-moving piece played artfully and emotionally. ‘Auf meinen lieben Gott’ paints a subdued, no less powerful picture, until the closing chapters as it begins to regain its bold stature. 

The drumming of Vespestad throughout the album is considerate, with his approach delicate yet responsive, sporadically chiming in adding another wave of voice to the complex melodic soundscape. ‘Extended Circle’ demonstrates his brushwork, showering and pattering along to the soulful searching of the piano. Musically the track is restrained, aided by conscientious playing from all the musicians who only add what feels right in that moment.  A compact instrumental version of ‘Nearer My God, to Thee’ is expansive and evocative. The harmonies presented are gorgeous and resonant, capturing a scene of tranquillity that rises and falls. Piano chords resonate and fill the sound spectrum, almost as if you’re listening in a cathedral hall, whilst the light cymbal work facilitates the grandiose. 

‘Seattle Song’ came to fruition during a soundcheck in Seattle as a spontaneous spark, a pure melodic song that encompasses the minimalist yet beautiful ideology Gustavsen is known for. The crystal tone of the bass blends effortlessly with the piano, regally shining through on soloistic expressions, an excellent performance example of “Cherishing the melodies”. 

Seeing showcases the sensitivity and poetic expression Tord Gustavsen conveys, equally upheld by Steinar Raknes and Jarle Vespestad. Their playing is lyrically imaginative, melodically grounded and emotionally full: all the components needed for a ‘synthetic synesthesia’. The latest release is recorded in exceptional detail - every nuance from the piano hammers, cymbal rings and bass plucks can be intricately heard, enabling the mind to wander throughout this serene journey.