The Danish, Aarhus-based quartet Pauseland defines its aesthetics as Scandinavian ambient jazz, inspired by folk and hymns tradition. The quartet music radiates an elusive lyrical, often meditative and melancholic essence, typical to the ECM school of Scandinavian jazz, but with a greater success. Pauseland suggests a highly personal aesthetics, a conversational, poetic reflection about music as a collective, democratic act.

The quartet feature flugelhorn player Jacob Buchanan, sax and clarinet player Christian Vuust – both are close collaborators in each other solo projects, guitarist Søren Dahl Jeppesen and bass player Klaus Nørgaard, who plays in Jeppesen band. Pauseland is active now for a decade, yet its third album, «At The End of the Day», was released seven years after its second, «Palindrome».

Jeppesen and Buchanan composed all the ten pieces, both stressing a highly melodic and emphatic interplay that creates a reserved, subtle sonic unity. Jeppesen sparse, skeletal guitar mirrors Buchanan dreamy flugelhorn playing; Vuust soft clarinet and tenor sax sound as a telepathic continuation of Buchanan impressionistic ideas and vice versa; Norgaard solid pulse anchors the gentle, moving interplay of the quartet, executed in an unassuming flow.

It is easy to surrender to the the sheer melodic simplicity of Pauseland music, the elegant beauty and immediate intimacy and its touching emotional depth. The quartet describes itself as a «sort of musical breathing hole for its members».  I do hope that we will not have to wait too many years before Pauseland will find time to breathe again such tender music towards us.

Eyal Hareuveni

Jakob Buchanan (flh); Christian Vuust (ts, cl); Søren Dahl Jeppesen (g); Klaus Nørgaard (b