Acclaimed e.s.t./Esbjörn Svensson Trio
released
Releases new studio album, 301, on Act Music
e.s.t. /Esbjörn Svensson Trio
301
Release Date:
May 8, 2012 (Physical)
May 15, 2012 (Digital)
DL Media · (610) 667-0501
Jordy Freed
jordy@dlmediamusic.com
Group's Second Posthumous Release Following
Pianist Esbjörn Svensson's Death
Receives Critical Recognition in the UK
Borderless Trio Ventures Into
Jam Band & Electronica Formats on Album
"One of e.s.t.'s greatest albums, and even arguably their ultimate work."
- Martin Longley, BBC Music
"...this might well be the group's best ever record."
- Phil Johnson, The Independent
"...a worthy, welcome reminder of the majesty of e.s.t."
- Bruce Lindsay, All About Jazz
May 15th, ACT Music released 301, a full album of previously unheard material
by e.s.t. (Esbjörn Svensson Trio). The album is a follow up to
e.s.t.'s 2008 effort, Leucocyte, and is the group's second album following pianist
Esbjörn Svensson's tragic death (prior to Leucocyte's release). Heralded as
one of the most exciting jazz bands of the decade, the seven-track album features
Svensson with his longtime band mates, drummer Magnus Öström and bassist
Dan Berglund.
In January 2007, e.s.t. was on tour in Asia and Australia performing shows
in Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama, Jakarta, Perth and Sydney. It was their third tour of
Japan and their second time on the continent; and the venues and audiences had become
noticeably bigger. Only a few weeks before, they had finished their triumphant tour
of Germany, including a legendary performance in Hamberg which resulted in Live
In Hamburg (ACT, 2007), awarded "Album of the Decade" by the London Times. It was
undoubtedly the prime time for the style-defining jazz band of the 2000s.
The group decided to rent the famous "Studio 301" in Sydney for their off-days in
the middle of the Australian tour and jammed for two consecutive days to develop
new songs and material. Altogether they recorded nine hours of music. Leucocyte
became the first release from these sessions and has been praised by critics and
fans alike as a ground-breaking work that leads into a new musical universe. Very
soon after the recording, Svensson had edited much of the material down to two albums.
And so the plan at the time was to release either a double album or two consecutive
albums from this recording. Svensson's tragic passing on June 14, 2008 (as a result
of a scuba diving accident) disrupted this undertaking and only one of the albums,
Leucocyte (ACT, 2008), was released at the time.
Three years later, in October and November 2011, Berglund and Öström revisited the
material from that recording session and together, with the band's regular sound
engineer Ake Linton, made their own edit for an album which is now called 301,
on the basis of the name of the studio where the album was recorded.
 |
e.s.t cover story - Jazzwise, April 2012
(with kind permission of Jazzwise) |
3=1
Throughout their existence, one of e.s.t.'s defining characteristics was
their seemingly effortless and interconnected interplay, which was on such a high
level that it seemed to suggest that they were "three mutant bodies with six arms
and one brain" (remarked Jamie Cullum). This high level of interaction was achieved
through years of playing together, hard work and preparation - after all e.s.t.
were together since 1993. Such a connection becomes especially important when jamming
without net in a studio marathon like e.s.t. did in Sydney on these recordings.
3+1
The recording sessions in "Studio 301" are not only a jam, but involved e.s.t.
ìs sound engineer Ake Linton in the creative artistic process. Linton had
traveled with the band since early 2000 and was the man behind the mixing desk for
over 500 shows. Together with him, e.s.t. had designed their own recognizable
trademark sound and Linton made sure that wherever they went and performed this
sound was recognizable. During the recording process at "Studio 301, " he would
contribute by running effects, overlaying distortions and add-ins live through the
desk and onto tape. This procedure is especially delicate as it cannot be reversed
during mixing sessions. Therefore it is no surprise that both Leucocyte and now
also 301 were finally mixed and mastered at Bohus Sound Recording in Gothenburg
and involved Linton as the mixing engineer.
3-1
Svensson's death put a much too early end to e.s.t.'s creative output, at
a point where the group was just beginning to receive greater recognition in the
United States. For Berglund and Öström it has been a painful process to revisit
the Sydney recording. Both had to move on after the sad events of Svensson's death
in 2008. Berglund regrouped with pre-e.s.t.-era musical friends and formed
the indie-outfit "Tonbruket, " which released two albums so far (Tonbruket and Dig
it to the End), while Magnus Öström released his solo-album Thread of Life (ACT,
2011) featuring an Esbjörn Svensson tribute song by Bergland and Pat Metheny.
The fan community has been longing for access to archival material and recordings
ever since Svensson's passing. With 301, they are now getting a full album
of new original compositions and music by e.s.t.
About e.s.t.
e.s.t. was a phenomenon: A jazz trio, that saw itself as a pop band that
plays jazz, which broke with the tradition of leader and sidemen in favor of equality
within its members, which not only played jazz-venues but also venues usually reserved
for rock bands, which used light effects and fog-machines in their live shows, which
got a whole audience to sing-a-long to jazz-standards as eg. Thelonious Monk's "Bemsha
Swing", is a trio that goes beyond the scope of the usual classic jazz trio. Their
music was found in the pop-charts and their videos played on MTV Scandinavia. With
their unique soundscape, combining jazz with drum 'n' bass, electronic elements,
funk rhythm, and pop and rock as well as European classical music, e.s.t.
won an audience spanning from the classic jazz fans to the younger hip hop fans.
Critics and audiences worldwide agree: e.s.t. was one of the most innovative jazz
bands of the 21st century.
Esbjörn Svensson / piano, electronics, transistor radio
Dan Berglund / double bass, electronics
Magnus Öström / drums, voices, electronics
TRACK LISTING:
All songs composed by Esbjörn Svensson, Dan Berglund and Magnus Öström.
1. Behind The Stars (3:44)
2. Inner City, City Lights (11:45)
3. The Left Lane (13:37)
4. Huston, The 5th (3:34)
5. Three Falling Free Part I (5:49)
6. Three Falling Free Part II (14:30)
7. The Childhood Dream (8:02)
Total Time: 61:01
For more information on e.s.t., please visit
est-music.com
For more information on The ACT Company, please visit:
actmusic.com
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