SLAMCD282 Stekpanna – Starlight Barking

A set of typically hip, happening, and deeply groovy originals by jazz guitar trio Stekpanna, alongside a characteristically quirky deconstruction of the heavy metal classic “Paranoid”. Those new to the maverick Anglo-Scandinavian trio will find engaging melodies and expressive improvisation in a spacious sonic landscape – think EST with guitars.

Mads Kjølby: electric & acoustic guitars
Steve Kershaw: double bass
Petter Svärd: drums & percussion

“Mads Kjelby plays electric guitar for the most part, but he uses almost no distortion or alteration of his guitar’s tone. His music is made up of the pure bell-like tones a subtly amped guitar will give you, so there is more Tjader and Smith than funk here. Likewise drummer Petter Svard favors a slimmed down kit, and the trio is great at creating a gentle shuffling beat that lifts the guitar melodies gently, at times with lines as simple as Satie…it’s another sign that all flavours of Jazz are still thriving in Copenhagen.” – Phillip McNally, Cadence

“Love the way they draw the venom from Paranoid – a rocker worth covering by jazzmen!” – Mark Gilbert, Jazz Journal

“Possessing portfolios of significant work in their own right as soloists and group members, plus considerable experience touring across Russia, Scandinavia and Cuba, the trio offer a relaxed and ultra-clean sound. Echoing some unusual combinations in their repertoire – Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and James Brown for example – the unexpected twists and turns the threesome engage upon thrill and surprise in equal measure.” – The Musician

“It was always a band focused on rhythm and hummable melody; the opening track begins sinisterly with shimmering and rumbling and twanging before giving way to long, languid guitar lines which lope along over locomotive drums and a (there is no other word) groovy bassline. Mention must be made of their deconstruction of Black Sabbath’s Paranoid. It may seem to be jumping on the bandwagon popularised by the likes of the Bad Plus, but Stekpanna have been doing this sort of mischief for years (previous albums have included tracks such as A Whole Lotta Love Supreme) and the simple changing of the rhythm makes the tune entirely theirs…The sound throughout is gorgeous. This is music to make you smile.” – Dave Foxall, Jazz Journal

“Opens with an atmospheric track Moscow Night Train inspired by the trio’s endless overnight journeys across Russia. Trains and railways have always been a favourite theme of jazz composers and this is an excellent addition to the list. You can almost feel the motion of the train. Drummer Petter Svärd penned this composition and also the interestingly titled The Tone, the Whole Tone, and Nothing But the Tone, which uses the whole tone scale favoured by, amongst others, Thelonious Monk. The melody line is superb and the musicians seem to be having a ball with this one: certainly one of the better tracks in this excellent album.” – Mick Day, The Four Shires

Recorded at On Location Studios, Copenhagen, Denmark, 28/02/09 & 01/03/09.
Engineered by Thomas Vang.
Mastered by Eric Smith at Monster Sound Studios, Spain.

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