Regrettably, I must interrupt my multi-part recap of Bonnaroo, as I've just recently learned of the untimely passing of Esbjörn Svensson. Svensson was a Swedish jazz pianist, and led an internationally respected trio under his name.
The death of jazz, whether passed or imminent, is so often mentioned it has itself become a cliché. For those of us who argue that the art is alive, Svensson could be one of those masters to whom we could point for evidence. His style was, naturally, rooted in the Traditions: the classical musicians and composers that influenced the jazz forefathers as well as the forefathers themselves. But there was also a spark. Svensson and his trio did not attach themselves reflexively to new idioms of recording or style in order to stay relevant. They simply played with fervor, with spirit, with life.
Now who will?
For further and more incisive reading on Esbjörn Svensson, please check out this blog post by Ethan Iverson, pianist for the like-minded jazz trio The Bad Plus. I also recommend the E.S.T. album Strange Place for Snow.
Wow, that is a huge loss. I saw that he died in a scuba diving accident at the young age of 44. I had just started listening to their music after reading a story about them in downbeat. Thanks for the clip, that's a beautiful piece.