Kristian Persson Elements: Let It Go

Let It Go
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Artist: Kristian Persson Elements
Genre: Jazz
Label: Reach Up

Young Swedish trombonist Kristian Persson was one of the stand-out players at this year’s 12 Points festival of new European jazz.

Here he leads his own electro-acoustic five piece Elements through a set of original compositions that confound whatever expectations you may have of cool Scandinavian jazz.

Funk and soul are the main references in Persson’s hot, big-hearted sound, with more than a nod to James Brown and Fred Wesley and echoes of Pat Metheny’s lush harmonic soundscapes.

But these influences are artfully blended with a hip indy-jazz vibe that will give specialist listeners something to get their ears into, but will also find the Stockholm native an audience beyond the jazz ghetto.

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Cormac Larkin

Cormac Larkin

Cormac Larkin, a contributor to The Irish Times, is a musician, writer and director