Serenity
Released
Swedish pianist Bobo Stenson is one of ECM’s mainstay pianists, having been with the label practically since its inception. Along with bassist Anders Jormin and drummer Jon Christensen, he pulls out all the stops on this ambitious double album. As often happens in the studio when producer Manfred Eicher is present, variations of tunes dot the program, lending anchorage and feelings of tension and release. Homages to great composers like Wayne Shorter, Silvio Rodriguez, and Hanns Eisler indicate a broad ear, but it’s Stenson’s originals (particularly “Polska of Despair” and “Tonus”) that really show us where it’s at.