Label: ECM Records, 2026
Personnel - Marilyn Crispell: piano; Anders Jormin: acoustic bass.
American pianist Marilyn Crispell and Swedish bassist Anders Jormin join forces for the first time on the duet album Memento, a recording that favors introspection and serenity. The musicians’ distinctive language is present in both the improvised and written material, and the music unfolds naturally, organically, and with sensitivity.
The four opening pieces are improvised, beginning with the poignant “For the Children”, where touching melodies unfold without pretension, establishing the reflective tone of the entire work. Dedicated to the memory of innocents caught in the world’s ongoing wars, the piece includes plaintive, Eastern-tinged cries emerging from Jormin’s expressive arco playing over serene piano textures. “Dialogue” moves with breezy simplicity, grounded in warm, woody bass tones and shimmering overtones, with Crispell responding in the same wavelength, creating a self-contained musical exchange that becomes even sparser and more minimalistic on “Embracing the Otherness”. “Contemplation in D” proves a pure delight, guiding the listener into hypnotic territory through open chords that cast tonal beauty and modal ambiguity in a chiaroscuro landscape.
Jormin’s “Three Shades of a House”—originally featured on Bobo Stenson’s trio album Contra la Indecisión (ECM, 2018)—appears in two versions, Morning and Evening, whose contrasting luminosities are shaped by solo piano and solo bass, respectively. Crispell also performs unaccompanied on “Memento”, whose pastoral character hints at classical influence, and on “Dragonfly”, a dedication to bassist Gary Peacock that closes the album on an optimistic note. Like those pieces, “Beach at Newquay” is composed by Crispell and benefits from Jormin’s exemplary support. His arco range often resembles a weeping flute, while delicate piano drops fall gently in the background, forming a lyrical evocation of nature.
Memento unfolds with yearning atmospheres where spontaneity and artistic sensitivity open the door to broader emotional landscapes. Its purely intuitive interplay may not be an everyday listen, yet it occupies a meaningful place within contemporary jazz.
Favorite Tracks:
01 - For The Children ► 04 - Contemplation in D ► 09 - Beach at Newquay