One of Europe's greatest jazz musicians ever – captured here on two rare albums from the 50s! Although Lars Gullin was mostly a baritone player, his rich talent on the instrument won him many accolades during the postwar years – and he recorded a huge amount of albums, both here in the US, and home in his native Sweden. These two sessions were originally issued in Sweden on Metronome, but are offered here in the versions issued by Atlantic in the US during the late 50s. Both records are some of Gullin's best straight material from the time – and they feature him swinging hard and straight-ahead, in a perfect setting made up of some of Sweden's finest players. Titles include "Always", "After 8pm", "Half Nelson", "So What", "Fedja", and "Perntz". Great to have back out again – and what a deal! (Please note that the CD had to omit the track "Ma" because of space limitations.) CD

A mindblowing little record – one of those jazz meetings you might never have thought possible, and every bit as great as you'd expect! By the time of this set, Lars Gullin had already reached the heights of jazz in Scandinavia – one of the hippest players of the 50s, ready to branch out into even new ideas and expressions in the 60s! Enter Archie Shepp, quite young at the time, but already a fiercely creative talent on the tenor – blowing here alongside Gullin in the relaxed, open format of a live date at the Club Montmartre in Copenhagen – a well-recorded performance that was done for Swedish radio, and which has both players taking very long solos. It's great to hear Lars really stretch out – sounding looser and grittier than on some of his studio work – and Shepp's really on fire blowing through the standards on the date – almost hinting at that approach he'd use in the late 70s, but with all the burning quality of his youth! Other players include Tete Montoliu on piano, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Alex Riel on drums – and titles include "You Stepped Out Of A Dream", "The House I Live In", "I Should Care", and "Sweet Georgia Brown". LP, Vinyl record album

The material that made Lars Gullin a legend – important early 50s sessions for the Metronome label in Sweden, also issued over here in the US by Emarcy – as records that really helped Gullin's fame spread quickly! The tracks really have Lars finding his own voice strongly – using the baritone sax with tenor-like dexterity, in small combo lineups that often use the guitar of Rolf Berg in place of piano – which makes for a really unusual sort of tonal approach! The guitar rings out wonderfully next to the baritone – creating a great interplay of sonic textures – save for a few tracks that feature Lars playing a bit of piano, which he'd take up more strongly in later years. Titles include "Circus", "Manchester Fog", "Jump For Fan", "Bugs", "Stocks & Bonds", "Danny's Dream", "Lars Meets Jeff", and "Igloo" – and CD features a few alternate takes too – plus great notes! CD

An amazing American release from this legendary baritone saxophonist – one of a few Swedish sessions that Lars issued here in the US at the time! The album's a perfect introduction to Gullin's groundbreaking work – that blend of soul, swing, and modernism that easily made him one of the best talents on his instrument in the postwar years – an overseas player to rival gians like Pepper Adams or Serge Chaloff here in the US! The work is some of Lars' best from the decade – and the tracks feature his modernist baritone in different groupings with top Swedish jazzmen of the time – including Rune Ofwerman on piano, Arne Domnerus on alto, Rolf Blomquist on tenor, Ake Persson on trombone, and George Riedel on bass. The tracks are all longish (most are over 5 minutes), with a strong swing, and introspective solos by Gulling that are some of his strongest of the time – and titles include "Perntz", "Fedja", "All Of Me", and "So What". CD

One of a number of excellent 50s American releases by Swedish baritonist Lars Gullin – a 4 track 10" LP that features backing by a septet that includes Putte Wickman, Ake Persson, Bengt Hallberg, and George Riedel. The tracks are a bit longer than usual for Gullin – making for a record that has a more open ended groove than some of his more tightly arranged sets – not really a blowing session, but kind of heading in that direction! Titles include "Cat In Clover", "Cheese Rennett", "Cowslip", and "Laburnum". LP, Vinyl record album

Although pressed up by Verve, the music is definitely Imported From Europe – as Stan Getz plays here with a host of great Swedish players – on a date that makes for a real standout in his 50s catalog! Stan was living in Sweden at the time of the album – bringing a big influence to the scene there, and furthering the already modernist tones that some of the nation's best players were creating in the postwar years. There's a brilliant blend of iciness and warmth going on here – and players include Bengt Hallberg on piano, Ake Persson on trombone, Erik Nordstrom on tenor, and Lars Gullin on baritone – plus American Benny Bailey on trumpet, who was also making a home for himself over there at the time! Tracks are long, sometimes with a lively jam session-ish feel – and titles include "Bengt's Blues", "Topsy", "Speak Low", and "Stockholm Street". CD

A great set of postwar Italian jazz – the combination of 2 sessions from the end of the 50s, both featuring the octet of tenorist Gianni Basso and trumpeter Oscar Valdambrini! The pair are joined in the frontline by Dino Piana on trombone on about half the set – and by the baritone sax of the great Swedish player Lars Gullin on another four tunes – and together, the tracks have a lively and hard-swinging feel that's very much in keeping with the best jazz showing up on Italian soundtracks at the time – no surprise, since the Gassman in the title is Vittorio Gassman, one of the greatest Italian character actors of the 50s and 60s! Tunes include "Fata Morgana", "Guess Who", "Ciau Turin", "Crazy Rhythm", "Peter Of April", and "Blues For Gassman", a strong original written by Piero Umiliani! LP, Vinyl record album

French jazz giant Barney Wilen is on the cover – and this issue of Jazz Critique looks at key records on the European scene from the postwar years onward! Given that "swing" is the mode here, there's not really any avant records – and instead the issue offers up a discography of players like Wilen, Lars Gullin, Dick Morrisey, Jimmy Deuchar, and others from the modern/hardbop moment of the 50s and 60s – plus some more contemporary artists too. Each record is presented with cover art and some details in English – plus a shorter review in Japanese – and the issue has a color section at the start, and other jazz features with images throughout the 192 pages within. Book