Hanna Paulsberg Concept + Magnus Broo: Daughter of the Sun
Odin Records

Formed in 2010, the Hanna Paulsberg Concept, which pairs the Norwegian saxophone-playing leader with pianist Oscar Grönberg, double bassist Trygve Fiske, and drummer Hans Hulbækmo, draws from multiple traditions. Paulsberg picked up the sax at sixteen when she fell in love with Stan Getz's playing, and as she developed she absorbed not only the music of her homeland but also looked to America and Africa for inspiration. On her quartet's fourth album, traces of township jazz, a style originating out of apartheid-era South Africa, and West African highlife are evident, but more than anything else the music draws from the spiritual jazz tradition associated with Alice Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders. Don't mistake, however, Daughter of the Sun for high-decibel free jazz; while there are fiery moments, the quartet's playing is characterized by nuance, a sensitivity to atmosphere, and is even in places mellow.

For this release Paulsberg and company invited Swedish trumpeter Magnus Broo to join them, ostensibly to shake things up after three albums of quartet-only performances. A smart move: though he's a generation older than the other musicians, Broo's been a member of the Norwegian/Swedish band Atomic for nearly two decades and thus brings a wealth of experience to the collective endeavour. It's telling, for example, that on the opening cut, “Scent of Soil,” he coyly weaves a snippet of “The Surrey With the Fringe on Top” into his solo, a reference emblematic of someone conversant with multiple musical histories.

As if to serve notice that Daughter of the Sun won't be some modern-day Interstellar Space knockoff, “Scent of Soil” introduces the set with a lyrical setting whose murmur's as soft as a morning sunrise, and beautifully so. A simple ascending and descending piano motif appears first, which is then sweetened by vocal humming, of all things, before the elements cohere into a gentle group performance. Tiny smatterings of percussion and Fiske's assertive presence move things along, with the leader spreading breaths across the peaceful landscape until Broo grabs the lead, his playful, at times brash expressions emboldening the others to emerge forcefully. There's a looseness to the performance that's not unappealing, the comfort level reflective of the strong rapport enjoyed by the five players.

With that tone-setter out of the way, the album advances into bolder territory without losing its spirited, open-air vibe. During “Little Big Saxophone,” it's the singing sax-trumpet folk theme that provides the structure, which allows the others to play freely, as if liberated from conventional roles. Gradually, however, solos by Bro and Paulsberg dictate a slightly less free approach by the drummer, bassist, and pianist, though even here too they never sound constricted. The saxist wends oscillates boldly between upper and lower registers, blowing short staccato flurries as she does so.

Its name taken from a Swedish television animated series, “Hemulen Tar Ferie” is suitably playful, with all drinking from the tune's bright well for its joyful melodic utterances and breezy, Calypso-tinged flow. During the scenic trip, Paulsberg purrs, whereas Grönberg ventures down atonal, bar-crossing paths without undercutting the harmonious quality of the group's playing. That aforementioned township jazz dimension surfaces audibly in the also uplifting “Serianna,” particularly in the fanfare-like thematic statements by Paulsberg and Broo. Sideways referencing Bud Powell's “Bouncing With Bud,” “Bouncing With Flower Buds” finds the five in a fiercer mode than elsewhere, the trumpeter digging into his solo like a rabid dog, and again infusing its rhythms with Calypso flavour. With Hulbækmo's cymbals a sparkling prod, Fiske kickstarts the title track with an extended solo spot, after which the frontliners give voice to an elegant folk theme that in one stroke seemingly captures the essence of the album.

December 2018