The interaction between the three is excellent...rhythmically innovative (with) clever harmony skills and a never-ending desire to swing...
Swedish bassist Mattias Svensson's first encounter with pianist Bill Mays was in a studio in Japan where they recorded Svensson's 2009 debut trio recording. Further recording and touring only heightened their desire to work more together, so Mattias took action and assembled this session in Copenhagen with Mays and drummer Morten Lund, his longtime trio mate with the famed Jan Lundgren Trio. From the delicately swinging opening waltz dedicated to Toots Thielemans, to the propulsive "Shagit," the trio exudes an effortless fluidity through 10 of the bassist's spacious compositions, a Mays burner dedicated to his cat "Cheddar," along with a couple of themes from '70's TV shows that Mattias watched as a child.
"Mays plays on pure imagination, that exalted level where mere technical concerns have been long forgotten."
Toronto Globe & Mail
Track Listing:
1 My Toots Toots (For Toots) 7:01
2 Bluetiful 6:25
3 Erik Satir 5:02
4 Shagit 7:55
5 Fredriksson 2 1:25
6 Steps (Ahead) 8:08
7 Theme From Emmerdale 6:14
8 Tomorrow's Trickster 6:07
9 Cheddar 5:12
10 Längtar Till Fredag
(Theme From N.P. Möller) 1:42
11 T'ai the Chi(t) Together 7:45
12 A Shorter Way 6:47
13 Fredriksson 3 1:35
All music by Mattias Svensson (STIM), except:
(2) Svensson & Jan Lundgren (STIM); (7) Tony Hatch (Chevron Music Ltd); (9) Bill Mays (No Blues Music, ASCAP); (10) Rolf Sersam, Jacques Werup, Åke Wihlney (STIM)
Performers:
Mattias Svensson - bass
Bill Mays - piano
Morten Lund - drums
Production Info:
Produced by Mattias Svensson
Executive Producer: Christina Giovanos
Recorded & mixed by Thomas Vang
at The Village Recording, Copenhagen, Denmark
Recorded on August 1-3, 2022
Mastered by David Elberling
at The Village Recording Studie B, Copenhagen, Denmark
Band photo by Thomas Vang
Cover design & layout by John Bishop
