Jan Lundgren must have just about the broadest stylistic range of any musician in jazz. It extends from timeless, straight-ahead swing to the contemporary “sound of Europe”, as typified by his two successful Mare Nostrum albums. But there’s no mistaking the sparkle and lightness of spirit that illuminates his piano playing, wherever you hear it. It’s there in his composition too, as this set amply demonstrates. It opens with the title piece, tuneful and jaunty, featuring the splendid Finnish saxophonist Jukka Perko, and this establishes the prevailing mood. Even in its more pensive moments, Lundgren’s music exudes a warm and welcoming atmosphere, quite unlike the alleged chilliness of some Scandinavian jazz.
