I am a lover of the double bass, well the bass in general but the double bass is sexy. When I first heard the music of this talented jazz double bass player I had to investigate some more. Lars Danielsson Libretto from Gothenburg, Sweden first became mesmerized by this great instrument when he was at a concert watching jazz bass legend, Nils-Henning Ǿrsted Pedersen. It was then he decided to abandon his classical cello lessons and start playing the double bass. He didn't abandon the cello altogether but has incorporated it into this repertoire. He plays his stand-up bass with a melodic flow much like you would play the cello. This style of playing has Lars Danielsson Libretto stand out from the rest.
He has played with the best in jazz from such luminaries as Lars Jansson, Carsten Dahl, and American jazz contemporaries such as Terri Lynne Carrington, Jack DeJohnette, and the Brecker Brothers. He is not content just being a featured artist, he loves composing as well. He is one of the few in a small group of bass players who is also a bandleader. His ensemble features saxophonist, David Liebsman who had played with Miles Davis, Bobo Stenson on piano, and Jon Christensen from Norway. Together with his quartet Lars Danielsson mixes jazz with a Nordic sound. He made his debut in 1986 with the album, New Hands and has released an album almost every year since. My favorite is his 2007 album, Pasodoble and the title track blew me away with its rhythmic bass playing and aggressive piano style. I can listen to it over and over. This past May he released his latest album, Cloudland. The title track is a more relaxed mood in playing with its piano style having a Latin rhythm at times. Check out this super talented double bass player, composer, arranger, and record producer. Support independent music and musicians worldwide. Happy listening!
Cloudland
