The Nordic countries have always offered a fascinating uniqueness in their approach to jazz. A uniqueness that is no doubt confirmed by this magnificent album by Linda Fredriksson. With Juniper, the Finnish saxophonist, already active in the Mopo trio and the Superposition quartet, demonstrates the full range of their artistic skills here. Surrounded by Tuomo Prättälä on piano (electric and acoustic), Minna Koivisto on modular synth, Olavi Louhivuori on drums and Mikael Saastamoinen on bass, Fredriksson combines themes composed over a number of years on guitar, piano and vocals (heard on 'Lempilauluni'), which have now been beautifully arranged for this group. Juniper is, according to Linda, a singer-songwriter's album but performed by an instrumental jazz band. The album is, above all, a record centred around introspection, a form of soaring meditation, that is then speckled with little findings, like the watermark rain heard on 'Neon Light' (and the 'Sky Was Trans'), the weightless opening theme...
The fascination for singer-songwriters like Neil Young or Sufjan Stevens - two influences that Fredriksson notes - gives their playing a real narrative force. This ethereal, essentially acoustic style of jazz, capable of haunting digressions ('Nana - Tepalle'), also appropriates a whole electronic instrumentation that is handled with great delicacy. Fredriksson succeeds in fusing all of this disparate material, which evokes the most rudimentary folklore as well as futuristic sounds. For this album they borrow elements ranging from the music of Satie to the atypical jazz of labels such as ECM or Hubro. Binding all these ingredients together is Linda's musical touch, adopting a spiritual approach like that of Pharoah Sanders or the more free-spirited Eric Dolphy. Here's a Qobuzissime album that is invigorating and full of rare musical poetry. © Marc Zisman/Qobuz