Danish guitarist Jens Fisker debut album as a leader realizes a dream he had since he listened for the first time to the album of Jim Hall trio «Live!» (Horizons, 1975) – capturing a legendary performance at Toronto, Canada – about twenty years ago. «Paysage» refers clearly to Hall generation of guitarists who have shaped bebop – Wes Montgomery and Joe Pass, but with a Nordic twist influenced by Fisker northern Jutland origins, as the cover art suggests.
«Paysage» features Polish bass player Mariusz Prasniewski and fellow-Danish drummer Daniel Sommer. Fisker’s nine original compositions are dedicated to close persons or attempt to capture emotional memories or states of mind. All are delivered as playful, lyrical musical stories, rooted in modern jazz legacy but do not subscribe necessarily to the swinging American jazz school, spiced by a distinct, leisured atmosphere and reserved melancholy and characterized by Fisker personal sound.
The compositions that stand out are the touching ballad «Now», dedicated to Fisker’s girlfriend, the meditative and quiet «Easter Song», written on Good Friday and the last, innocent and optimist one, «Play for Peace».
Eyal Hareuveni
Jens Fisker (g), Mariusz Prasniewski (b), Daniel Sommer (dr)
