1. On the Sunny Side of the Street
2. Angel Eyes
3. Like Someone in Love
4. Imagination
5. Waypoints
6. My Foolish Heart
7. Nostalgia
8. I Remember Clifford
9. Another You
10. Yardbird Suite
Brinck Johnsen - Baritone sax
Petter Kateraas - Trumpet, flugelhorn
Magne Arnesen - Piano
Staale Amundsen - Bass
Dag Arild Espeseth - Drums
Tonsberg Storband, directed by Steiner Brenna, featuring:
Lars Martin Myhre - Guitar
Petter Kateraas - Trumpet
Recorded Sept/Oct 2002, in the studios of the Norwegian Broadcasting
Corporation, Buskerud.
Brinck Johnsen has for many years worked as a saxophonist and bandleader in Norway, collaborating with many famous musicians, both in Norway and other countries. I had the pleasure of hearing him play in Torrevieja, Spain with a good rhythm section and enjoyed what I heard. On that occasion he played alto and tenor, although his main instrument is the baritone, which he plays throughout this CD.
His style of music is mainstream to modern, the sort of music I like, always accessible and a joy to listen to. Both the Quintet and Big Band play cleanly and they are well recorded. The soloists all create attractive lines. Brink is always to the fore with some very impressive work on baritone throughout.
The choice of tunes is good and they fit into what is a very attractive programme of music. It was nice to hear the theme statement of I Remember Clifford played on the baritone and Petter Kateraas contributes a fine trumpet solo. The arrangements for the Big Band are inventive: the ensemble passage led by guitarist Lars Martin Myhre is a particularly inspired piece of work. I could not tell from the sleeve-note who the arranger was, but he certainly is inspired.
The record concludes with the Charlie Parker classic Yardbird Suite, a joyful tune and one that always inspires the soloists; this occasion was no exception.
This is my kind of music!
Don Mather
CD Reviews
Roman Records CD 0203
