The Rocket Svante Söderqvist, Calle Rasmusson, Adam Forkelid, Tuulikki Bartosik

• 1 The Rocket 07:28
• 2 Exil 05:49
• 3 The Man with the Blue Hat 07:11
• 4 The Third One 05:10
• 5 Michel 03:58
• 6 Wrong Track 05:22
• 7 But Still 01:52
• 8 Hoppet 05:06
• 9 Epilog 01:14
• Total Runtime 43:10

Info for The Rocket

Many of the disturbing and terrible things happening in the world are a starting point for Svante Söderqvist and his fellow musicians. The war in Ukraine, the climate crisis and the increasing polarisation of society form a kind of relief where music becomes an active counterforce. It is striking how much joy the musicians take on the original compositions on the album.

A trio consisting of Svante Söderqvist on double bass and cello, Adam Forkelid on piano and Calle Rasmusson on drums and percussion form the core of the album. On some tracks, Tuulikki Bartosik on accordion and Klas Lindquist on clarinet can be heard. The bandleader has succeeded in getting everyone to play at their best, and it is a pleasure to listen to all the delicate and joyful contributions.

There is a sense of everyone playing as if their lives depended on it in both the livelier songs and the quieter ones. Melodious and captivating jazz on one of the finest albums of the year.

Svante Söderqvist, bass, cello
Adam Forkelid, piano
Calle Rasmusson, drums, percussion
Tuulikki Bartosik, accordion
Klas Lindquist, clarinet

Svante Söderqvist
has been known as one of Sweden’s best jazz bass players during over 20 years as a professional. He has collaborated with many Swedish well known jazz artists such as Nils Landgren, Rigmor Gustafsson and Magnus Lindgren among others, but he’s also active as member of Swedish renowed folk music groups, as well as assignments in various classical ensembles.

In the year of 2018 the trio was formed, the first time for Söderqvist in a true leading position. The well-known piano trio format is extended and Söderqvist plays both double bass and cello. He also sings melodical lines in unison and in stems to further widen the expression and the overall artistic voice.

The use of classical bowing technique, both on cello and bass, makes the sound even more rich and creates a flavour of chamber ensemble to the jazz context.

The music is mainly composed by Söderqvist, with a melodical and rhythmical ground and with inspiration from Swedish folk music and classical music, beside the strong jazz foundation.

Fellow musicians Adam Forkelid (piano) and Calle Rasmusson (drums/percussion) makes a strong musical footprint in the band through dazzling musicality and remarkable playing skill.

All together this makes the group sounding both varied and innovative.

Svante Söderqvist Trio
During his 20 years as a professional musician, double bassist and cellist Svante Söderqvist has become known as one of the country's leading jazz bassists. Over the years, he has toured and recorded with a large number of Swedish jazz artists, including Rigmor Gustafsson, Margareta Bengtson, Magnus Lindgren, Peter Asplund, Joakim Milder and Mathias Algotsson, among others.

In 2018, he started his first own group Svante Söderqvist Trio, and in addition to the double bass, he also plays his original main instrument cello extensively. He is joined by long-time colleagues Adam Forkelid and Calle Rasmusson on piano and drums/percussion respectively. The trio has played together in many different constellations over many years, which makes the group very harmonious.

The music is mainly composed by Söderqvist, with a clear melodic and rhythmic basis and with elements in addition to jazz from both folk and classical music. Both Adam Forkelid and Calle Rasmusson make a major creative impact in shaping the music through dazzling musicality and playing skills. By using strings on both double bass and cello and also singing, Söderqvist creates a multifaceted soloist expression, which makes the jazz trio format feel both varied and innovative. In March 2020, the debut album ARRIVAL was released on the record label Prophone/Naxos, and the disc has been extremely well received by both critics and audiences.

This album contains no booklet.