Jakob Bro

December song Jakob Bro Repress edition

When 86-year old saxophone player Lee Konitz was first handed a sheet of Jakob Bro’s simplistic compositions his immediate reaction was sheer astonishment. It happened back in 2008 during the recordings of ’Balladeering’ – the first record of Bro’s trilogy. Back then in the renowned Avatar Studios on West 53rd street in Manhattan the even more renowned Lee Konitz was holding the sheet and wondering. The melody and theme did not look like anything he had ever played before. But with that exact sound: simple, atmospheric, floating and dynamic, Jakob Bro has gained wide international attention through his trilogy with first ‘Balladeering’, then ‘Time’ and now ‘December Song’.

’December Song’ is highly influenced by jazz legend Paul Motian, who played drums on the first record of the trilogy. It was back in 2002 that Bro first met Motian and was accepted into his ’Electric Bebop Band’ and this meeting became a personal and musical milestone in Jakob Bro’s life.

In Motian, Bro found a mentor, he became part of a unique creative environment and last but not least he got an invaluable insight to the music and way of work of his greatest musical role model. The inspiration from Motian will always influence Bro’s music and as a declaration of love this record, December Song, is therefore dedicated to him.

’December Song’ is with its sound a prolongation of its two predecessors. Right away the listener recognizes the dynamic and simplistic sound of Bro, where floating space and the occasional silence is a virtue. The record sets itself apart by having been added a new instrument to the sound: The piano. While the guitars are constantly setting the mood with a metallic and ambient feeling the compositions are rooted by the sound of the piano, played by Craig Taborn. It adds tranquility to the music and a warm intimacy, without taking away the spacious vibe and lightness of the total musical expression.

The compositions on the record are shaped by a sense of sortie. 35-year old Bro looks back at the inspiration from Motian, his own upbringing, and looks at his life as a musician and composer. And then he looks towards the future, and among other things at his next record, the ECM debut with his trio, and towards the development and future life of his tentet, a new collaboration with Palle Mikkelborg and an expanding international touring schedule.