Embrace [CD]

Swedish bassist Mattias Svensson's first encounter with pianist Bill Mays was in a studio in Japan where they recorded Svensson's 2009 debut trio recording. Further recording and touring only heightened their desire to work more together, so Mattias took action and assembled this session in Copenhagen with Mays and drummer Morten Lund, his longtime trio mate with the famed Jan Lundgren Trio. From the delicately swinging opening waltz dedicated to Toots Thielemans, to the propulsive "Shagit", the trio exudes an effortless fluidity through 10 of the bassist's spacious compositions, a May's burner dedicated to his cat "Cheddar," along with a couple of themes from '70's TV shows that Mattias watched as a child. "Mays plays on pure imagination, that exalted level where mere technical concerns have been long forgotten." - Toronto Globe & MaiL. "The interaction between the three is excellent, rhythmically innovative (with) clever harmony skills and a never-ending desire to swing - Sk+nska Dagbladet (Sweden)