Jonas Hellborg Group
Jonas Hellborg Group
Day Eight Music (Germany) 1990
DEMLP 025 TS (LP)
sleeve : EX-(some wear on edge and corner.)
media : EX/EX(some slightly noise.)
Compelling 1990 leader date from Swedish virtuoso bassist Jonas Hellborg, born in Gothenburg and widely known for his tenure with Mahavishnu Orchestra under John McLaughlin, alongside luminaries such as Jean-Luc Ponty, Jerry Goodman, and Danny Gottlieb. This trio session features Anders Nord (b) and Jaime Salazar (dr), forming the unusual configuration of two bassists. Both players employ Wal fretless basses, creating a richly textured low-end dialogue. Hellborg, in particular, showcases his trademark high-speed slap technique, driving the music with fierce precision and a distinctly rock-inflected energy. While much of the album surges with muscular, forward momentum, the standout cut is A3—a superb piece of contemporary jazz imbued with a distinctly Nordic sensibility, recalling the spacious aesthetic often associated with ECM.