Swedish pianist Esbjorn Svensson died on June
14, 2008 in a diving accident off of Stockholm. He was forty
four years of age. Svensson was the pianist and leader of
the Swedish piano trio, E.S.T. (for Esbjorn Svensson Trio),
a modern group that confounded and delighted listeners and
critics alike in their ability to further the language of
the piano trio while retaining elements from within the
tradition. The group was thoroughly modern , but with much
romanticism and an understanding of the history and language
of the jazz piano trio. E.S.T. had the ability to alternate
highly impressionistic music with more driving rhythmic
grooves. They also took a page from rock and pop bands and
presented themselves along with light shows and staging
of their performances as well as embracing video culture.
Despite this, it would be a mistake to assume that E.S.T.
was some kind of fusion group or that they couldn’t
bear comparison with other serious jazz piano trios of the
day.
Svensson was honestly perplexed by the need for many music
fans and critics to label music—his or anybody else’s.
In a 2004 interview, Svensson said “I mean, what we're
doing, if you have to call it something... I guess it's
jazz, but it's not what jazz was.” That is true, because
so much goes into the music of E.S.T., most of which was
composed by Svensson: jazz, grooves, electronic, rock, pop.
Part of the genius of this band was its ability to draw
from all of these sources and come up with something that
was uniquely their thing. The funk laden groove of “Good
Morning Susie Soho” is something few bands, jazz,
rock, or pop, could manage to bring off with the same kind
of panache. At the same time, his compositions showed an
appreciation of, and influence by, classical composers from
Bach to Bartok. The counterpoint of the Baroque era seemed
to hold special fascination for the pianist.
Although the trio used various techniques
to alter or color their sound, they remained a steadfastly
acoustic trio otherwise. Svensson would use prepared piano
or pluck the instrument’s strings at times, while
bassist Dan Berglund uses distortion and other pedals as
well as his bow to give the group interesting and, seemingly
electrified sounds. But these effects were applied to live
performances, not manipulated afterward. The group’s
unique aesthetic—think of your favorite ECM trio crossed
with some kind of modern electronic pop music.—allowed
listeners raised on pop music, but open to new sounds to
really hear what they were doing.
During their 15 year career the group recorded
thirteen albums, a major body of work in such a time span.
Svensson also cut some interesting albums for the European
ACT label, working with artists sucha s Nils Landgren (Swedish
Folk Modern and Layers of Light) and singer
Lina Nyberg (Close). The E.S.T. group’s first
recording, 1993’s When Everyone Has Gone
featured “Stella By Starlight” as well as many
original compositions, including “Mohammed Goes to
New York” and “Silly Walk.” In 1995 the
group released Live ’95 followed by ‘97’s
Esbjorn Svensson Trio Plays Monk, an album of Thelonious
Monk compositions. In ’99 came From Gagarin’s
Point of View, the title track of which became a staple
of the group’s live performances. 2000 saw the release
of Good Morning Susie Soho, with its infections
title track, and in 2003 the group began to really be noticed
in the United States with the release of Strange Place
for Snow. In Europe, they were clearly the most popular
and well known trio, and these two Sony releases really
put the group on the map in the States. E.S.T. live
in Stockholm was a 2003 DVD release that allowed many
listeners their first glimpse of the group playing live.
Released together with the phenomenal CD Seven Days
of Falling (the CD contained an edited four-song version
of the DVD) on independent label 215 Records, it showed
a group that was maturing and very much in control of its
sound. Viaticum appears to be available as an import
only, from ACT Records. Tuesday Wonderland provided
the listening experience that fans of the group had come
to expect, but also dished out a bit more dissonance and
a darker tone than usual.
Svensson’s music seemed to be taking
an increasingly spiritual path. According to the group’s
website, Tuesday inWonderland connects directly to Viaticum:
“The interpretation of Viaticum was that
the music is the provisions that you take with you on your
journey through life. Tuesday Wonderland is the
spiritual journey itself that opens new worlds.” That
spiritual element was always there, of course. E.S.T.’s
best work was about a journey three musicians were taking.
It seems perfectly clear that E.S.T., and
certainly Esbjorn Svensson, were not able to finish their
musical mission on this planet. It is likely that the group
would have remained an influential force in the European
jazz community, as well as an influence on many musicians
in the U.S., despite a lack of visibility to the general
public. Fortunately, the recordings that Svensson has left
provide ample evidence as to his approach to making music,
and there is no doubt that many musicians are listening
to him and experiencing his rare combination of musical
depth and popular appeal. Svensson’s music could provide
the careful listener with a doorway to a deep, resounding
sense of peace or of joy and celebration. There was also
melancholy and a sense of the temporary nature of life.
As we mourn the loss of Esbjorn Svensson,
those who count themselves among his fans experience a similar
range of emotions. Emotions that are better left to his
music to speak for them than through the clumsier, thought-addled
medium of words.
