Detailed Reviews [ Lis Wessberg - 2021 - "Yellow Map"]

Prolusion. Danish musician Lis Wessberg has been an active presence in the Danish music scene for several decades, with a resume that includes work for many of the best known artists in the Danish music scene, and an established reputation as one of the finest trombone players currently active in Denmark. "Yellow Map" is her first solo album, and was released in the fall of 2021 through Danish label April Records.

Analysis. While I'm not much of an expert in the field of jazz music, this album is one that I suspect most people would describe as very much a jazz album through and through. The distinct sound of the acoustic bass combined with expressive drums will see to that alone, and the role of the electric piano as well as the solo runs from all the instrumentalists rather emphasize that aspect of this production. Which section of the jazz universe this album belongs in is a task I'll leave for others to make a call on though. This is a fairly laid back production in many ways, with softer, dreamladen textures often taking the lead and where the backing tends to be of a more careful nature throughout. There is an absence of dramatics and a strong focus and emphasis on flow, and even in the more expressive parts of this album experience the musicians show an admirable restraint, obviously conscious about their individual contributions being a part of a greater totality here. As a matter of fact this album strikes me as much more of a band production than a solo creation, with Wessberg's trombone often taking a back seat to allow the other instrumentalists to get their share of the limelight. Otherwise many of the compositions feature striking moods and atmospheres, of the kind that makes words like exotic and otherworldly come easily and readily to mind. The careful tone of the trombone perhaps not as important as the contributions from various types of keyboards and effects in establishing those moods, with my perception being that the trombone instead carries those atmospheres once they have been established. The standout track for me here is the sparse yet energetic and expressive 'Sister M', where groove-oriented movements, exotic sounds and instrument details that gave me associations to a cloaked or hidden variety of funk all are a part of the totality. A most excellent creation. Also worth mentioning is the darker and slightly harder atmospheres explored on 'Chimes', a composition that in mood, tone and execution sounds like a creation that could have been featured on one of the albums by Danish band Taylor's Universe.

Conclusion. The careful, laid back and occasionally sparse atmospheres explored on this album, with dreamladen, exotic and otherworldly moods and atmospheres as defining character traits, will probably make this album appealing also a bit beyond the common jazz circles. To my ears this is a jazz album more than anything else though, and those who have an affection for careful but expressive instrumental jazz with liberal amounts of dreamladen moods and exotic atmospheres should find a lot to enjoy on this striking album.

Progmessor: October 2021
The Rating Room