Swedish trio Plunge consists of saxophonist Andreas Andersson, bassist Mattias Hjorth and drummer Peter Nilsson. This, the group´s second CD, features the trio with renowned Swedish pianist Bobo Stenson as their guest! The rewarding collaboration between the trio and Stenson began in the fall of 2002, and has so far resulted in numerous tours of Sweden, several national and European radio broadcasts and this CD, “Plunge With Bobo Stenson” (KOPACD 007), released in 2005. The record features a mix of collective improvisations and original compositions. This is acoustic music heavily based on organic interplay, intensity and spontaneity. Characteristic of the group is an identifiable nordic and personal sound, emphasizing a strong melodic core and a creative sense of form. The quartet´s music moves effortlessly between the coral-like and floatingly lyrical to vibrantly rhythmical pieces and full-blown free form playing. A lot of room is given to dynamic and textural variation, melodic improvisation and rhythmic playfulness. “Plunge With Bobo Stenson” could be considered part of, and an extension of the creative Scandinavian jazz legacy established in the 1960´s. PLUNGE WITH BOBO STENSON IS: Andreas Andersson – Saxophones Andreas has, with his powerful sound and lyrical playing, established himself as one of Sweden's most personal saxophonists. He is active on the Swedish improv scene, as well as in the jazz community. He plays in duos with pianist Ola Hedén and renowned organ improviser Markus Wargh, and has also performed with Bobo Stenson, Marilyn Mazur and Sten Sandell among others. Andreas has composed music for improvising big band, amateur theatre, documentary movies, and numerous tunes for smaller ensembles. Mattias Hjorth – Double bass Mattias´s melodic and sensitive playing is featured in several groups, such as Cennet Jönsson Quartet, Loïc Dequidt Trio/Quartet and Footloose. Mattias has worked with many renowned musicians, such as Bobo Stenson, Dave Liebman, Tommy Smith, Lotte Anker, Lennart Åberg, Fredrik Ljungkvist, Lina Nyberg and Peter Danemo. Mattias is also a highly regarded improvisation and ensemble teacher at the Malmö Music Conservatory and at Fridhem's Folkhögskola in Svalöv. Peter Nilsson – Drums Peter has established himself as one of the most in-demand drummers in Sweden. His varied and organic playing can be heard in many constellations, including Cennet Jönsson Quartet, Double Standards, Footloose, Anders Nilsson´s Aorta, lim, Ola Hedén Trio and 15,5. He has also worked with Paul Bley, Miroslav Vituos, David Liebman, Marc Ducret, Bobo Stenson, Raoul Björkenheim, Eugene Chadbourne, Marilyn Mazur, Palle Danielsson, Lotte Anker, Joakim Milder, Sten Sandell, Tolvan Big Band and many others. Peter has toured extensively in many European countries, as well as in Azerbajdzjan, Mexico and the USA. Bobo Stenson – Piano Bobo is one of the most internationally acclaimed Scandinavian jazz musicians of all time. He has been one of the leading figures on the Swedish jazz scene since the early 1960´s. He has worked with Börje Fredriksson, Stan Getz, George Russell, Jan Garbarek, Charles Lloyd, Kenny Wheeler, Tomasz Stanko, Paul Motian, Dave Liebman and many others. Bobo Stenson is an ECM recording artist since the early 1970´s. REVIEWS: The members of the young Swedish group Plunge scored a real coup when they got a musician of Bobo Stenson's stature to play on their second album. The collaboration began in the fall of 2002 when Plunge invited Stenson to join the band for a few concerts in Sweden, which were very successful and marked the beginning of an ongoing relationship. Since that first tour as a quartet, they have done several tours of Sweden together; one of the concerts was also broadcasted by Swedish Radio. Plunge and Stenson are planning a few concerts together in March 2006. On this excellent release, Plunge’s exploration of free improvisation continues in the vein of the group's first eponymous release, but here three compositions are credited to various band members: “Castor,” “Ethos Gives Posture,” and Stenson's “12 Tones Old,” first recorded on his 1996 ECM release Reflections. Ten others were “composed” by the band (including Stenson), and one (”Three Characters”) by the original trio. The pieces composed by individual musicians definitely have a different feel than the freely improvised tracks. “Castor,” by bassist Matthias Hjorth, ends up sounding quite romantic, featuring a melody--played with a soft, round tone by saxophonist Andreas Andersson--whose structure becomes clear by the recap. The last track, “Ethos Gives Posture,” by Andersson himself, features the same kind of sound from his horn and traverses the same emotional territory, but uses only Stenson in support. The melody has a clear structure, as does the whole piece. Stenson’s own “12 Tones Old” is given an interesting reading as the piano and bass play the line in unison while Andersson twists and turns against it, until Stenson takes over and plays over a long pedal while the drums create a cymbal wash. Stenson adds much to the trio, not least because he plays a chordal instrument--but also, of course, due to his experience. If Stenson's latest music makes one think of him as a romantic filtered through a chilled intellect, “Lingua Franca” dashes such labels. This a pure, hot track, with a clear, driving rhythm defined by Peter Nilsson's slashing cymbals. It sounds a bit like the Vertigo Quintet; Stenson lays out for quite a while, finally beginning to angularly comp chordal clusters under Andersson, gradually extending a line that competes with the saxophone. As Andersson drops out, Stenson eventually comes to fore, playing with an intensity and a seeming musical smile. The other tracks are more intellectual. The rhythm generated by both the drums and bass is free, while Stenson and Andersson play, sometimes independently and at others times in a give and take fashion. Stenson flows effortlessly between chordal and semi-contrapuntal linear accompaniment and a solo line. When solos do happen they are relatively unstructured but always coherent, with a distinct urgency. This urgency is what is ultimately satisfying. The ever-present forward movement and direction end up inviting the listener, along with a hint of tonality that hovers over the proceedings. Based on this highly recommended release, we can look forward to Plunge’s continued recordings, with or without Bobo Stenson. -Budd Kopman/Allaboutjazz Featuring Bobo Stenson on piano, Andreas Andersson on saxes, Mattias Hjorth on double bass and Peter Nilsson on drums. Swedish pianist Bobo Stenson is a longtime ECM all-star leader, working with Don Cherry & George Russell, co-leading bands with Jan Garbarek throughout the 70's and still releasing trio discs on ECM in the 90's. On 'Plunge', Bobo collaborates with a younger generation of Swedish players. Most of the tracks were composed by the entire quartet, making them group improvisations, with one track written by three of the four players. Much of this reminds me of those great recordings by the Garbarek/Stenson Quartet, yet without the ECM icy sound. Andreas Andersson has a strong, warm sound on baritone sax, as well as a sly, sublime tone on soprano sax. This music often has laid back, spacious and lyrical quality to it, not really very free sounding. The quartet play well together, anticipating each other very well, moving in waves at times. Sometimes haunting, sometimes delicate. The four pieces written by individual members or by a trio are especially fine as they resonate with enchanting melodies. This fine endeavor could have been a contender for ECM catalogue of gems, yet it remains a bit obscure, released by a small label in Sweden with minimal distribution here. Don't miss out on this one. -Bruce Gallanter/Downtown Music Gallery(NYC)