Stekpanna: All For a Beautiful Life
(För svensk version tryck här)

Music by the Scandinavian-English trio Stekpanna (Frying Pan) can give a dishevelled impression. But it is well structured. Mads Kjolby's guitar is the focus, elegantly highlighted and framed by Steve Kershaw's base and Petter Svärds drums. He has a flourishing expression, agreeably hesitant in its sensitively chiselled licks.

The perfect balance between the irreproachable ensemble performance and the solo improvisations are accentuated by those parts where the trio is augmented by Steve Waterman on trumpet and the tenor Ed Jones. A beautifully laid down, almost ingratiating theme leads the way to a more liberated solo excursion, where the soloists slowly set themselves free from the fundamental figures. This creates fine contrasts, but it always is about contrast in sharp unison.

In a piece like Rumble in the Jungle one hears echoes of Shorter and Miles (both boxing enthusiasts) in 1965, but as a fertile starting point, never a static model.

There's the mainstream, there's the road less travelled, and then there's Stekpanna. Quick-witted and distinctive as ever, what impresses most about this new collection of nine originals and one cover is the sheer range of musical material and reference points that Stekpanna somehow appear to seamlessly enfold within their signature sound. Take the cover: not content with just offering their take on 'A Love Supreme', Stekpanna fuse it with 'Whole Lotta Love' (by that well-known jazz combo Led Zeppelin) to create - what else - 'A Whole Lotta Love Supreme'. Originals include the mambo meets samba, rum-inspired 'Matusalem' (penned after the band played the Havana Jazz Festival - great work here from guests Ed Jones and Steve Waterman), the wonderful 'Rumble in the Jungle, Round 1', the icily contemplative 'Under the Blue Darkness' and a towering live account of 'Hunnie', a track first heard on the band's debut and obviously a Stekpanna favourite. This being their third album since 1996 there seems little danger of Stekpanna being labelled 'prolific'. But never mind the quantity - feel the quality.

If you’re looking for angst and introspection, you won’t find it here. This band radiates warmth, good humour and bonhomie.

Coolly inventive … a group with a broad view and adaptable skills … plenty of sparky moments.

The drummer is good – inventive, unusual and on the money. The bassist is right in the pocket, uses FX effectively, and is rock solid He keeps it together so that the drummer can do his thing.

On the individual plane, the British trumpeter Steve Waterman stood out for his precise diction, and the Swedish drummer Petter Svärd for his technical facility.

The Cuban Institute of Music has the pleasure to invite Stephen Kershaw, Mads Kjølby, and Petter Svärd to the XXII International Festival Jazz Plaza, of Havana … We would like to express the wishes of maestro Chucho Valdes of have the presence of this remarkable group at this event, which would be an honour for us

Quite apart from being one of the country's best bass players, with a style both hugely propulsive and sensitively melodic when required, Steve has also become a musical catalyst, bringing together players and styles from all over the world.

The roar of approval at the end was unanimous.

There are not that many occasions when they are standing at the Jacqueline du Pré Music Building for a jazz event, but last Monday they were even dancing in the aisles. The reason? Cuban Meltdown, the conjunction of the Anglo-Nordic Stekpanna and George Haslam's Siger Jazz trio, providing excellently heated music for the unseasonably cool night.

The meeting of British and Scandinavian minds was one of those occasions where such an unlikely aggregation begged to be recorded so that it could be documented for posterity.

Olesen's understated guitar lines … are well supported by a supple and infectious rhythm section … What makes this all hang together so well is the obvious delight the musicians took in working with each other and playing this material, and the way they relax into each piece without grandstanding or selfishness. Great fun, and much recommended

Virtuosity, heart, and grace.

Really lively and enjoyable … catches the Cuban style to perfection.

A set of infectious and uplifting pieces that mix fine ensemble work with shapely, melodic soloing from all concerned … a CD full of exuberant, life-enhancing sounds that will bear frequent replaying.

This is a group with strong interplay and a lot of ideas.

Notes from Underground, a project incorporating Stekpanna, an Anglo-Scandinavian trio, and three of Russia's best jazz musicians, was a thoroughly uplifting experience … not least the sheer enjoyment everyone had in performing - especially the tension that came from each testing the other, pushing them on further and upward.

Loose snare, chunky guitar and compulsive bass riff … with just the right amount of distortion to muddy the sound and mix up the emotions.

A tightly integrated trio with an original sound … attractive, fuzzy and funky.

A rather fine Anglo-Scandinavian trio … the originals are packed with idiosyncratic themes, tricksy rhythms, resourceful soloing and an eye for a sharp title to boot.

Rough and likeable.

The band was like a child without fear, trying everything intuitively: hot, cool, European, folk-based, heavy and Russian.

The improvisation was inventive and fresh, and met with great applause.

The music generated wonderful harmony ... amazing, perfect solos on guitar ... virtuoso playing ... amazing ability to guide the instruments correctly to get the best out of the music ... Their command of the instruments gave a commanding performance.

This trio is a real discovery ... there were more people trying to get in than there were seats in the hall .. There was much interest because of the exclusivity and exquisiteness of the performance.

Steve Kershaw is a strong player. Drummer Petter Svärd gives innovative direction to the trio's music, especially so on cymbals. Guitarist Mads Kjølby Olesen plays with feeling, with a less-is-more-attitude and with a great sense of style - a good role model for many guitarists! Stekpanna enjoys playing together. They've got lots of humour in their music, as was witnessed in covers of 'I Feel Good' and 'Smoke on the Water’.

This CD [Ouch!] has a good mix and reflects the countries on the band. It is also not without humour; there are some really nice touches such as the percussion section in the final track B:n, a version of a James Brown classic, which will have you wondering what it is until you read the title (I Feel Good), as it has had the metre changed, and there's a nice track based on a Swedish folk tune (Englamark) featuring Andy Sheppard.

A very exciting group.

All three are fine musicians. Steve Kershaw has a lovely rich tone, and his solos were imaginative and funky. Petter Svärd is a natural performer - the harder he hits the drums, the more broadly he grins, but he is far from being a mere basher. The way he plays around with rhythms is clever and understated. Mads Kjølby Olesen on guitar seemed to have an almost Mozartian inability to play anything clumsy or ugly.

Hip and happening.

A truly splendid Jazz Trio.

Their material is mostly in-house originals of attractive simplicity, leavened with such fare as Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water” and “My Funny Valentine”, both of which receive imaginative treatments ... intelligent, competent stuff.

Modern guitar fanciers will take note.

(Jazz Journal International)

This guitar-led fusion trio has springboarded onto the British scene following the positive critical reaction to the group’s debut album Standin’ Tall.

One of the very best albums of 1997: great writing, great playing, great listening.

A different musical path with impressive results ... the trio was described by the LA Weekly as ‘hip, happening and deeply groovy’ - well who could argue with that?

The cream of the crop.

Hip, happening and deeply groovy.