Andreas Loven

| District Six | Losen/Birdland LOS 152-2

Among the indigenous idioms with which jazz has intermingled, South Africa’s music has been an especially natural fit. Such Rainbow Nation musicians as Abdullah Ibrahim, Dudu Pukwana and Louis Moholo have been responsible for some of the most distinctive, ebullient jazz ever made. Norwegian pianist Andreas Loven recorded this album there, and while the typical Scandinavian compositional traits of spaciousness and wistful beauty are present, he has also clearly bought into the local culture, with the rhythms and melodies of Inside District Six and African Piano immediately evoking the sound of the Townships. Tenor saxophonist Buddy Wells is a sparse player who likes to work with short, stabbing phrases, and the rhythm section of bassist Romy Brauteseth and drummer Clement Benny is marvellously supple.