Bobo Stenson Trio - Sphere

The Bobo Stenson Trio's ability to cover far-reaching idioms and a wide-ranging repertoire within the framework of their personal vocabulary has become both a trademark and an established practice, inspiring the New York Times to say that the pianist "makes sublime piano trio recordings without exaggeration. It is pulsating, dense with long improvised phrases; it is alive." This acclaimed ensemble treads a subtle and original path through the original works and melodies of various Scandinavian composers, demonstrating a particularly flexible alchemy on the album Sphere. In this unique blend, created, developed, and refined by the Swedish pianist over decades of collaboration with ECM and Manfred Eicher, who, as Bobo says, "brings out the best in musicians" and has produced the album, several musical principles come together. The pianist's partners, bassist Anders Jormin and drummer Jon Fält, who have accompanied the leader since Cantando in 2008, are more than ideal musical partners for Bobo's soft touch and endless desire for interaction. Bobo: "We don't have a way of playing 'ready'. Things crystallize in the moment and we adapt to that. And that's the essence of it. That's the joy of playing together, never doing the same thing twice and being decisive about it." The album was recorded at the Auditorio Stelio Molo in Lugano in April 2022.