Nods Off | Here, There, Down & Up!
Steel Voice / Here, There, Down & Up! / The Can-Oon / Summum Bonum / Jump Bump /
Coming & Going / Jay Waltzing / The Get-Out / A.V.P. / Seventysix Echoes / Song A+B
/ Paint Music IV.
[einnicken era 0012]
Total time: 60:47. Released: 10/2000

Stefan Wistrand - Tenor, Alto & Soprano Saxophones, Alto Clarinet, Trumpetophone
Stefan Larsson - Electric Bass, Voice, Trombonophone
Peter Olsen - Drums
Marcus Lund - Acoustic Bass (Jay Waltzing)

“The 1992-97 recordings on Here, There, Down & Up! of the Swedish group Nods
Off present bracing free Jazz sparked by the volcanic drumming of Peter Olsen
and with the distinctive cry of saxophonist Stefan Wistrand. These committed and
extroverted players honed their work during years of gigs at home in Södermanland,
west of Stockholm, time well spent in developing a tight rapport. The loose chanting
a la Jim Pepper that opens the set might put off some listeners, but it's worth getting
past that. On burners like the overwhelming "Summum Bonum" or the equally
vigorous "Seventysix Echoes", the music erupts with passion and raw power. The
free-bop of "Jump Bump" owes a debt to Ornette Coleman, including the punchy bass
line. "Paint Music IV" closes the show with something else entirely, a scary sounding
piece with long complex metallic tones from the trumpetophone and trombonophone.
The band tends to keep tunes fairly short for this genre, with just one track lasting
more than 8 minutes. The rich thump of Olsen's drums and his densely tribal and driving
style are reason enough for drum fanatics to check this out. Nods Off is another
distinguished member of a small but vibrant free Jazz scene in Sweden, and one that's
worth hearing.”
Stuart Kremsky (Cadence 8/2001) USA

"…varied and real interesting to listen to."
Sven Boija (Orkesterjournalen)