REVIEWS "Sweden's TSE-Two Sounds Ensemble-reigns in its free jazz vision with laudable restraint, with a lovely wandering progression in its instantly composed music that stays appealingly within earshot of the lyrical and melodic musical path, stretching structure with breaking it. Stephan Wistrand blows soprano and tenor saxophones; Joakim Simonsson plays piano. The Swedish duo-both players have backgrounds in jazz, free improvisation and rock-stay mostly mid-tempo on a set of introspective and ruminative tunes; and like all good improvising units, they listen to and respond to each other's statements. Simonsson brings Satoko Fujii's piano work to mind at times, shifting from passages that are poetic and melodic and lyrical into riffs that sweetly sting; while Wistrand's sax work stays straightforward, robust on the tenor, with a mainstream feel in spite of the meandering atmosphere. The tunes, I - VI, range in length from a minute and a half to fourteen minutes plus, and I find the two longer pieces the most rewarding, with the duo exploring all the permutations of the improvisational scene they set. One of the most accessible and enjoyable free jazz sets this year." "I received this in the mail a few days ago and am giving it a listen right now - its from the Swedish label Einnicken, which I was previously unfamiliar with. I was also totally unfamiliar with these two musicians. The album is made up of six completely free improvisations - the website says they got together to record a set of standards and were more impressed with what they came up with on their own. I have to say that I'm very favorably impressed as well. Both musicians are extremely capable, straddling a variety of stylistic lines; the main interest for me is the close level of interplay between the two. In particular, Simonsson stretches from rootsy gospel-ish chords to plunging, abstract clusters within the space of minutes, and Wistrand has a really deep, gravelly tone on tenor which I like a lot. The whole thing seems much more focused than entirely free duets usually do - these guys obviously have played together quite a bit, and have a good feel for each others' ranges. There's plenty of swirling abstraction, as one might expect, but they also keep things varied with some beautifully lyrical passages and some gorgeous on the spot (presumably) themes... it seems like they really explored the space and found some interesting corners along the way. Definitely recommended." "THOUGHTFUL IMPROVISATION. This is a beautiful and melodic record that treads with grace and feeling on already entered improvisational grounds. To be considered a narrow musical form the Two Sound Ensemble's interpretation of the idiom is inviting and easy to listen to. They aren't afraid of the known and dare to play a beautiful note without blushing. Joakim Simonsson executes a kind of piano accompaniment, but not only that. He listens, supports, paves the way and develops the group sound. Stefan Wistrand plays tenor and soprano saxophones. The soprano sax sound reminiscences the recently diseased Steve Lacy, and you may have poorer models. Well chosen notes, and not too many. After two minutes they're through with the abrupt free playing way and land in a music of long lines with yearning, sadness, certainty and a good deal of passion." "The duo TSE is Stefan Wistrand on tenor and soprano saxes and Joakim Simonsson on piano, and came into existence in 2002 with the idea of playing jazz standards. But pure improvisation took over and they “always began in the unmade and concluded in the unfinished”, as the sleeve nicely puts it. The approach is melodic, mostly unabrasive and in a free adlib tempo – the piano tone is bright and the recording well projected." "Two players of whom I’ve never heard before turn in a surprisingly cogent and satisfying set of sax/piano duets. Stefan Wistrand (ts, ss) and Joakim Simonsson (p) are the Two Sounds Ensemble and they hail from Sweden. On Inversions I-VI, they turn in a set of “instantly composed” duets that are thoughtful and relatively restrained yet they retain that crackling spark of spontaneity so crucial to successful free improvisation. The six tracks vary in length from 1:30 to almost fifteen minutes. All have in common a conversational approach and these seem to be two musicians who know each other well. "Inversions" classifies this duo as one that has some real unique ideas and a distinctive way of delivering them. Stefan's underplayed and understated playing only emphasizes the beauty of Joakim's delicate piano delivery. As a duo, I hear them doing passages that sound nothing more than a simple recital of the scales. Then again, there are other moments when you think these two are joined at the head. You hear that these two musicians have obviously played with one another a good number of times. "Swedish duo TSE - Two Sounds Ensemble - formed by saxophonist Stefan Wistrand and pianist Joakim Simonsson sails in this new work for the Einnicken label between free visions jazz, light melodic progressions and lyric echoes. The two outline harmonic structures that are dilated and then unfolded like burlaps to the wind, shattered when you least expect it. They propose therefore six Inversions, with true and own changes of route, cracks melody for a short or long while, where the improvisational unit shadows each other gracefully, and then they are withdrawn, hidden, permuted in always new figures. Wistrand and Simonsson paints a music always and only on the outside of the banal mainstream. From there it come out free jazz of blue taste, Nordic, Arctic, indeed free, which is rare to find, in these times, from two young people. A jazz always fresh, charming, also full of agreement if you want, but not of the tired kind. Recommended." "'Tvåljuds-ensemblen' (= Two Sounds-Ensemble) they call themselves translated from English, but plenty you’ll find. TSE (Two Sounds Ensemble) as the abbreviation goes is Stefan Wistrand on tenor and soprano saxes and Joakim Simonsson on piano. Their record Inversions I-VI, as the title indicates, is some sort of musical inversion or instrumental compositions with genre-new point of departures. Here are jazz scents, downright improvisatory wild and strong parts together with art music’s pretty wide fields of vigorous soundscapes. For an untrained ear occasionally quite brutal harmonies that call for sympathetic and sensible listening. "The duo Two Sounds Ensemble was formed in autumn 2002 in Eskilstuna. This is their first record. It is said to be completely improvised, but to my ears the music sounds partly arranged. Melodies come back and the different numbers have their special character. Inversion I is characterized by short tone blasts while II is more lyrical and bound. III is a low-keyed piano solo by Joakim Simonsson that functions as an intro to IV. There the musicians have a tight and tone rich collaboration. The music is easy to listen to and enjoyable. ”You who have a feeling that you have a world order that you’re satisfied with, should not listen to TSE. But you on the contrary that still have questions to ponder about and still haven’t finished building your play card house of jokers should immediately get some works by TSE. Because TSE invites you to a journey far away from the Rix FM reality, if you dare to buy the ticket and leave your safety so to say. “
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