Slovenian guitarist Samo Šalamon (aka Dr Jazz) grew up listening to Norwegian double bass master Arild Andersen playing on early ECM seminal albums with Jan Garbarek and Terje Rypdal. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Šalamon initiated a remote recording trio with Andersen and American master drummer Ra Kalam Bob Moses (Pure and Simple, 2022). This trio toured Europe, and in 2024, Šalamon had a chance to tour again with Andersen and with French drummer Patrice Héral, who played in Andersen Group in the early 2000s.
Songs was recorded at the end of the trio’s European tour in a beautiful studio in Šalamon’s hometown, Maribor, in May 2024, and feature compositions by the three musicians. Andersen’s commanding double bass playing introduces the first piece, Šalamon’s «Simple», suggesting a relaxed, singing melodic line, with an economic touch that stresses the skeletal, emotional melody with an exceptional, masterful sensibility of time. Šalamon adds atmospheric guitar lines that reference Andersen’s early partnership with Norwegian guitarist Terje Rypdal, while Héral’s drumming propels this piece even further, but also corresponds with another iconic Norwegian drummer, Jon Christensen.
This kind of organic, rhythmic interplay characterizes Songs. Andersen (who was 79-years-old when Songs was recorded) is the natural leader of this trio, and his double bass playing grounds the trio’s emphatic and relaxed dynamics and sets the rhythmic momentum, with generous room for Šalamon and Héral solos. Šalamon shines with the Pat Metheny-tinged solo on Andersen’s playful «Dans» and on Andersen’s touching ballad, «Maria’s Song». Šalamon’s «Scattershot» takes the trio into intense post-bop rhythmic games. Šalamon’s Balkanized «Travelling Without Motian» and Héral’s «To Be Ornette Or Not To Be» refer to obvious, life-shaping sources of inspiration. Andersen closes this fine album with another moving ballad, «Little Song» (first performed on Masqualero’s Re-Enter, ECM, 1991), with Šalamon shining again, now on a beautiful solo on acoustic guitar.
Eyal Hareuveni
Samo Šalamon (electric guitars, acoustic guitars), Arild Andersen (double bass), Patrice Héral (drums)
