Bugge Wesseltoft - IM

Bugge Wesseltoft: Piano virtuoso, flag-bearer of "the new conception of jazz", centrepoint of Jazzland Records.

Bugge Wesseltoft: Who dares to take lovers of music, not scenes - to places unknown ... returns to ourspace with his long-awaited, self-dubbed "real solo album".

And what a joy it is to have Bugge back! Focused. Contemplative, and alone (almost).

Back to the "playing", the direct input emotion - with Bugge the composer and performer taking the studio centre stage.

Here on "IM" Bugge has the courage to let the Jazzland trick-nology take a temporary sabbatical - allowing the recordings to asborb the all the richness of his sound, melody and the depth. Yes, for Bugge Wesseltoft in 2007, 88 notes is all it takes - a black and white piano horizon where all the true Jazzland colours are there for the listener.

But this is not stictly acoustic pianoforte, no. In genuine Jazzland zeitgeist Bugge sequences subtle sound design, field-recordings, shocking news reports from around our f***ed up world, hand-played organic percussion grooves, and with Sami World music legend Mari Boine also providing a soulful "´jazzland-meets-blue-joik" guest appearance.

"IM" is perhaps Bugge Wesseltoft's most intimate and meditative release to date, and yet at same time, it is his most fearless. Bugge´s music and Jazzland output has always confronted musical boundaries, expectations and transient definition.

And the result ... well, once again, lovers of music worldwide get delivered "the latest conception of jazz" from the master himself. A wonderful "real solo album" indeed. Let yourself go. "IM".