Frode Kjekstad Quartet - Stars Aligned Frode Kjekstad Quartet
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Stars Aligned - what a perfectly apt album title, as we have our 'stars'; four of them, Norway's exemplary guitarist Frode Kjekstad, renowned US tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, England's organ and piano maestro Roy Powell, and Germany's drummer Frederik Villmow, whose many collaborations include saxophonists Chris Potter and Alan Skidmore
"All the elements that combine to produce a perfect jazz album are evident in 'Stars Aligned; concise, motivated themes ('head- solos- head' arrangements), intricate phrasing, freedom for soloists to improvise over (complex) chord progressions, interdisciplinary elegance, and symbiosis. Stars Aligned is truly an exemplary example of great jazz playing. "The jazzily-titled opener, 'The Phineas Trane', explodes with all the above- mentioned ingredients with powerful and punchy solos from all. Your perfect jazz album might well contain a joyous tune in 3/4 time, a jazz waltz - 'Open Ocean' is exactly that. If you like solid, walking- tempo Blues - check out 'Blues 4u'. Let's trade bars of Funk with bars of Swing and we have 'Bonebreaker'. We need a seductive, contemplative ballad. 'Moon Song' more than fits the bill. The eponymous 'Stars Aligned' is a fast-paced bluesy outing in a minor key - with major delivery. Latin overtones infuse 'Hammond Cheese' with its groovy head and heady solos. Back to a ballad, the exquisite 'Foggy Morning in the Woods' feels - exactly like that. 'Jingles', with it's call-and-response head is a minor key (non-melancholic!) intense, blistering excursion (underlined by the spontaneous, triumphant 'yeah' at the end). Connect virtuosity, immaculate timing, positivity with a soupcon of serendipity - and the stars align. A perfect jazz album." - David Fishel, 2025
Frode Kjekstad: guitar
Eric Alexander: tenor saxophone
Roy Powell: organ
Frederik Villmow: drums
Recorded January 26, 2025, by Havard Caspersen at Rud vgs, Sandvika, Norway.
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