Nils Landgren is one of the world’s great trombonists, and enjoys both sophisticated chamber jazz and straight out party music, seemingly in equal measure. A cursory review of Swedish record label ACT’s extensive catalog turns up performances by Landgren on recordings by Rigmor Gustafsson, Esbjorn Svensson, Wolfgang Haffner, and many others. He’s also worked, recorded, and/or toured with The Crusaders, Eddie Harris, Bernard Purdie, and Herbie Hancock.

Landgren first put together the Nils Landgren Unit in 1992; it became the Funk Unit in ’94. Since then he’s released a number of popular recordings with the group and performed at jazz festivals all over Europe and the U.S. Frequently Landgren brings in guest performers—Svensson on Fonk Da World, ABBA songwriter Benny Andersson on Funky Abba, and Roy Hargrove on 5000 Miles. On the Unit’s latest recording, Licence to Funk, Landgren brings in Detroit songwriter/guitarist Ray Parker Jr., best known to many for his hit song “Ghostbusters.” Nonetheless, Parker has a long history of working with the best in jazz, rock, funk, and pop music as a musician, songwriter, and producer. He played guitar on Stevie Wonder’s classic albums Talking Book and Innervisions, wrote the hits “Mr. Telephone Man” (New Edition), “Shake It Up” (Cheryl Lynn) and “Upfront” (Diana Ross) as well as playing with Herbie Hancock;s funk groups in the late ‘70s/early ‘80s.

On Licence to Funk, the group turns out the goods, never forgetting that this is party music, but at the same time refusing to dumb down the sound of the music. For this reason, a slow piece of modern urban R&B like drummer Wolfgang Haffner’s “Slowfoot” is prevented from sinking into smooth jazz hell by both Magnus Lindgren’s solid sax work and the tasty touches that Parker and the rest of the group add. That’s also true of “Capetown Shuffle,” composed by Landgren himself.

Parker turns in two nice compositions, the intensely cooking instrumental “SampleRayT,” which alternates some sharp ensemble passages with more hot solo work from Lindgren, and “For Those Who Like to Party,” a radio-friendly Parker tune that makes it sound like the good old days again. The opener, “House Party” starts with Parker’s signature funky rhythm guitar work, and it’s great to hear Ray booming out of the speakers again.

As for Nils Landgren, he and his signature red trombone are all over this disc, playing, as always, with sharpness and imagination. Licence to Funk is, first and foremost, fun stuff. But it’s nice to hear something fun that doesn’t require leaving your musical taste at the door.