European Jazz

I must confess, to my shame, almost total ignorance of other European jazz scenes (other than British of course).
Are there any kind Jazz Forum members who can help educate me in this regard?

Following from my own thread I may have hit on a good theme by entering European Jazz on Spotify.So far I have managed to hear some Danish jazz and The European Jazz Trio (excellent piano).

Try also:

Jacques Loussier
Michel Legrand
Michel Petrucciani

I recently d/l a Jacques Loussier Trio CD (Bach) what a disappointment
of all things an Electric Bass Guitar ugh where will it all end?????

A matter of taste, I guess. I own a few of his albums, including Impressions On Bach and Bach's Goldberg Variations. I didn't like the latter (maybe because I'm not a big fan of Goldberg Variations), but the first one I listened with a real pleasure. I especially liked how he and his band played the Italian Concerto.

Following my last post for this thread, I have discovered who the European Jazz Trio are (Google, Last.fm);
Marc van Room (p)
Frans van der Hoeven (b)
Roy Dachus (dr)
Can anyone confirm that this is a Dutch group?

I don't claim to know anything about European jazz, but I own these recordings, and I enjoy them all quite a lot:
Terje Rypdal--If Mountains Could Sing
Rypdal is an electric guitarist, and the disc contains a lot of string quartet writing as well. It's not traditional jazz and has a bit of avant-garde to it, but there are some straightforward tunes on there, too. There are sound samples. It's very much about texture and color.

Miroslav Vitous--Universal Syncopation More straightforward jazz combo stuff with some big names, kind of a mix of European/American though.

Arild Andersen--Electra This was written as dramatic music to accompany the play, so it's kind of a difficult nut to crack. I don't know that I would even call it "jazz", but it's Greek dramatic music through a Norwegian jazz lens, and it's pretty interesting.

Hi to all Jazz Forum members,
I have some French jazz in my collection (other than the Hot Club).
Cds from Claude Luter, Bernard Peiffer, Bernard Zacharius provide some really good music.
Are there others I should hear?

Martial Solal, French pianist, led his own group

Toots Thielemans harmonica and guitar, played with George Shearing

Hi Mike
Thanks for the info.
I've looked up the 2 refs on Spotify (successfully ?).
I found Martial Solal strange, perhaps, weird would be better. He leaves Monk behind in that respect.
Toots - well what an allrounder, Accordian;harmonica; guitar; singing; whistling and all worth a listen.
keep them coming
Cheers John

Hi carroze,
If you are viewing this, can you suggest Italian jazz groups I should hear?

Hi John, how is your quest on European Jazz going?

Honorable Mat,

Isn't European Jazz a very large category? Seriously, American Jazz is in and of itself a vast canvas - Please help me understand........

Cheers,

CD :tiphat::tiphat::tiphat::tiphat:

It sure is a large category, CD. It's just that I spoke with John some time ago and recommended him a bunch of artists he might like. Now I'm wondering if he got around to listening to any of them.

Mat,
so sorry I did not get back to thank you.

I did find a great selection of music by your 3 suggested musicians on Spotify,
and as I write I'm refreshing their music. Legrand i already knew of course, he has written so many film themes etc.
Loussier - I have reservations here. There is a strange mix of Classy jazz and jazzed up Classical. I think I could learn to like it but probably not listen too much at the expense of my favourite stuff
Pettrucciani - well, he's a bit of a strange mix as well but I liked a lot of what I heard. But I doubt if I''ll buy any CDs.
Thanks for your response - an interesting experience
Cheers John

Loussier playes or played a variety of Jazz, he is most famously known for Bach interpretations which were legendary he even did a TV series with them. I d/l his 40th anniversary CD [Bach] and was so disappointed that Electric Bass was used it is just not on for this kind of thing, it lacks punch and the driving beat of a string bass

I must add to this "decrepid" thread . Not before time I have discovered "The Dutch Swing College band, They are terrific at all the time levels I have now heard

John, I am flabbergasted that you did not know of them

Some Miroslav Vitous burbled from the stereo today.

Colin,
I had heard of them but am flabbergasted as well not to have tried them out before.
Really I must thank Spotify for pointing me in the right direction.

Cheers John