Past, present and future – their meshwork, which is otherwise often not directly noticed at concerts, was more present than ever on the first two November evenings in the Bayerischer Hof nightclub. “The last time we were here was a long time ago, when we were twelve,” Magnus Östöm and Dan Berglund joked at the beginning of their performance Rymden. A quick search revealed it was 1998, alongside Esbjörn Svensson – albeit as a backing trio to Viktoria Tolstoy and not yet a groundbreaking one Esbjorn Svensson Trio. After dealing with the shocking accidental death of Svensson in 2008 with their own projects for a long time, Öström and Berglund reunited as a trio five years ago, now with Bugge Wesseltoft, the Norwegian electronic-jazz mastermind on the keys.
Of course, the spirit of Esbjörn Svensson still hovers over such a project, especially in the minds of the visitors. Especially since Berglund’s striking bass playing, which likes to work with effects, and Öström’s brittle drums, which aim for impact, sound familiar from back then. But it quickly became clear in the Bayerischer Hof that Rymden was not the new est, but is something of its own. Because Öström’s and Berglund’s preferences for prog rock are becoming more prevalent, but above all because their band sound is strongly influenced by Wesseltoft’s ideas. They are less reflected in the dynamic principle that made est great, but in the contrast between lyrical and psychedelic-avant-garde sounds that prefer the synthesizer and the Fender Rhodes to the grand piano. Rymden sounds like an inventory of the “Nordic” fusion of the past decades, from which bold and future-oriented steps are taken.
James Brown trombonist Fred Wesley had fun at his “House Party” at the Bayerischer Hof nightclub.
(Photo: Oliver Hochkeppel)
A great spirit hovered in the hall the next day. Fred Wesley makes that clear with the name of his band: The New JB’s. He, Maceo Parker and Pee Wee Ellis once formed James Brown’s legendary horn section, so it’s clear that the funk of the “Godfather of Soul” would be the guiding principle of the evening. But Wesley didn’t get stuck in the past either. Assisted by his famous sextet, the 79-year-old swings into an age-wise entertainer who not only plays the trombone, but also raps, sings and jokes with the audience. And who garnished the funk classics like “The Chicken” (in which the Munich drummer and long-time Pee Wee Ellis accompanist Guido May was allowed to join) with swing quotes, classic West Coast lard and hard bop. A steaming “House Party” (the piece of the same name is traditionally the closing number) resulted. And speaking of the house: After a long dry spell, the nightclub was once again really well attended, even full at Wesley’s. So a fire has awakened from the ashes, which is being carried on. Nice.