Subcurrents [CD]

This June 19, Danish pianist Ole Matthiessen, one of the most inventive voices in Scandinavian jazz, celebrates his 80th birthday with the release of Subcurrents on Storyville Records. A remarkable compilation spanning more than five decades of musical exploration. The album brings together 7 performances from 1968 to 2025, offering a rare glimpse into some alternative, improvisational currents that have defined Matthiessen's career.From the early energy of the Poul Ehlers Quartet in 1968, featuring the rare collaboration with free-jazz drummer Bo de Richelieu and a young Jesper Zeuthen, to his contributions in Erling Kroner's Quintet in 1970, Matthiessen's pianism has always blended melodic sensitivity with a restless curiosity. The album also includes the electrifying Turkish-inspired jazz of Atilla Engin Group in 1981, where Matthiessen fuses complex rhythms with the swinging spirit of jazz, as well as boundary-pushing improvisations with Global Units in 2011, incorporating electronics and experimental textures.Later recordings, such as Testmann Jazz in 2023, highlight Matthiessen's lyrical side, paying homage to Ben Webster while demonstrating his enduring command of ensemble interplay. Framing the album are two solo improvisations, Subcurrent 1 and Subcurrent 2, recorded in 2025 at The Village Studio, capturing the pianist at his most spontaneous, exploring sound, touch, and flow in real time with no rehearsals or retakes.Subcurrents is more than a retrospective. It is a journey through the subtle undercurrents of jazz, and the threads connecting tradition, experimentation, and collaboration across decades. Produced, remastered, and annotated by Matthiessen himself, the album presents both longtime fans and new listeners with an intimate portrait of a musician whose adventurous spirit remains undiminished at 80.