Swedish-born guitarist Ulf Wakenius has been on the jazz scene for quite some time now; his claim to fame stems from associations with Keith Jarrett and Oscar Peterson. He has several solo CDs out, none of which until recently has been available through mainstream channels (especially in the U.S.). He first came to my attention a couple of years ago when he appeared on the Ray Brown release on the Telarc label “Some of My Best Friends are… Guitarists.” His work on that disc was stunning, and really made me wonder why I’d never heard this guy before, or why there was so little information available about him. This album should serve to rectify that situation – it’s absolute ear candy, from open to close.
Although predominantly a trio setting, multi-instrumentalist Lars Danielsson mixes things up a bit with the inclusion of piano and cello on some of the songs. The musicians are all first rate, and the song selection alternates between ballads and more up-tempo numbers. Five stars, and very highly recommended.
Tracklist: Memories Of Tomorrow; Dancing; Innocence; The Windup; My Song; Mon Coeur Est Rouge; Everything That Lives Laments; The Cure; So Tender: U-Dance; Prayer.
— Tom Gibbs
