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CD Review: Joel Palsson- Prim

Label: Naxos Jazz
Personnel: Joel Palsson-tenor and soprano saxophones, Hilmar Jensson-guitar, Eythor Gunnarsson-piano, Gulli Gudmundsson-bass, Einar Scheving-drums, Matthias Hemstock-drums and percussion on selected cuts, Sigurdur Flosason-alto saxophone, bass clarinet on selected cuts

Consistent with their mission of presenting jazz as a global music, Naxos has released this debut disc of the young Icelandic saxophonist, Joel Palsson. Prim is a collection of nine Palsson originals and one transformed Icelandic folk melody. The band he has assembled is the top echelon of jazz players in his country; they breeze through his complex creations with youthful assuredness and elan. Palsson’s compositions lean toward bop melodies of considerable intricacy, played with a decidedly modern edge. It appears that his influences are from the hard bop school (Joel was a student of Bill Pierce at Berklee)

Palsson sets the pace on the opener, entitled Urgur (Icelandic for Grump) immediately establishing his credentials as a soloist. Urgur is powered by the busy latinesque drumming of Matthias Hemstock. Hagar-Sund, translated Bus 4 , is a lilting three feel that features tenor, guitar and piano solos over sparse accompaniment, a device that Palsson uses with excellent results. Guitarist Hilmar Jensson, who uses both effected and more traditional sounds, plays this one clean. A tune entitled Lagmarks vesen or No Fuzz is one of the most interesting of all the compositions on Prim , featuring a funk groove with a bop head, and an unaccompanied piano solo that moves into a piano/drum dialogue, all in one seven minute tune. Seventh Heaven is a duet for Palsson and pianist Eythor Gunnarsson, a pensive ballad that reminded me of Wayne Shorter’s Infant Eyes in mood and temperament.

Another side of Joel Palsson is evident in the original called Second Thoughts . His concept here is quite unlike the dense bop writing that is present in his other compositions. Second Thoughts is graced with the guest appearance of Sigurdur Flosason on bass clarinet (Flosason is one the influential figures in Icelandic jazz education.) Here, and again on Palsson’s adaptation of the folk melody Mother Says , there is a moody, meditative quality. In these two pieces, his conception seems to be more about space and color. He seems to have a gift for orchestrating, and creating a mood by playing with the colors, in this instance effected guitar and additional percussion. This is a side of Palsson with limitless possibilities. Overall, there is a high caliber of artistry among the players on Prim , indicating a vibrant jazz music community in Iceland. I look forward to hearing more. 

- Richard Mayer  

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