Swedish-French pianist-composer Stefan Orins and French flugelhorn player Christophe Motury and tenor sax player Julien Favreuille have been playing together in various bands and different formats since the early nineties. So it was only natural for Orins to title this intimate trio album, recorded in his home in the spring of 2018, «Till Mina Vänner» (Swedish: for my friends).

The reference to Orins’ Swedish family roots inspired the spacious atmosphere of his seven new composition, drawing from the spacious nature sceneries spaces of of Sweden. Orins, Motury and Favreuille are perfect collaborators, focused at supporting each other to place music and its beauty at the centre of their attention. Their strong friendly approach is intensified further in the title and the spirit of the opening piece, the melodic «Bodisattva», referring in its turn to the Buddhist concept of altruism.

The trio manages to keep its emphatic interplay even on the loose and uptempo, free-improvised «Upplösning» (resolution). The serene and poetic «Lugn» (tranquility) even evokes subtle Nordic melancholy, delivered beautifully in the solos of Moutry, Favreuille and Orins. The following ballad, «Pétales au Vent», the title of a poem collection by Japanese, Buddhist philosopher and nuclear disarmament advocate Daisaku Ikeda, challenges the calm and peaceful atmosphere with an intense solo of Favreuille. «Tabea fyller sju» flirts with complex asymmetric cycles while «Brussels Charleroi» captures the sonic memories of Orins from his many trips back and forth in Poland. The last piece, «För», a pun meaning «for» or «intended for», is a hymn, homage dedicated to Christophe «Pher» Motury and his many musical gifts and qualities. It also captures the unique spirit of true friendship, expressed in such an intimate meeting.

Eyal Hareuveni

Julien Favreuille (ts), Christophe Motury (flh), Stefan Orins (p)