Durium Posted February 4, 2010 Report Share Posted February 4, 2010 SVEND ASMUSSEN photo: Svend Asmussen archive RHYTHM IS OUR BUSINESS Storyville 101 8389 photo: Svend Asmussen archive Svend Asmussen is one of those musicians, although in his 90s, who is still active nowadays. These records, presented today, were special selected by him - showing him during his most popular period as one of the star entertainers of northern Europe. It is strange that his fame never spread around the world as he is one of those artists that should be mentioned between names like Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Thelonious Monk. Svend Asmussen: Just call me Mussen Keep swinging Durium Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted February 4, 2010 Report Share Posted February 4, 2010 he is one of those artists that should be mentioned between names like Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Thelonious Monk. I used to enjoy Mr A on British TV years ago, but I think that's a bit of an exaggeration MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazaro Vega Posted February 4, 2010 Report Share Posted February 4, 2010 I thought you meant the new one, "Makin' Whoopee!" which Svend just released on Arbors Records. http://www.arborsrecords.com/recordtemplate.html?ProductID=19390p.s. I met Svend, heard him play and interviewed him in 1985 while visiting Denmark with a tour of the Blue Lake Monster featuring Marcus Belgrave, Harold McKinney and James Carter. The Svendster was at the Slukafter (spelling!) at Tivoli Gardens with Kenny Drew, NHOP and Ed Thigpen. Been playing his recordings, what there are of them, on the radio here ever since. Don't have the SweDanes sides, or anything, but The Jazz Violin Sessions with Duke; was it "June Night" on Dr. Jazz records? A few others.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Beat Steve Posted February 4, 2010 Report Share Posted February 4, 2010 he is one of those artists that should be mentioned between names like Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Thelonious Monk. I used to enjoy Mr A on British TV years ago, but I think that's a bit of an exaggeration MG Indeed. Svend Asmussen was quite a figure in European small-band swing of that period and of course has a long career second to very few but naming him alongside Pops, Duke and Monk really is a bit over the top. As for that new compilation CD on Storyville, given that these seem to be non-commercial recordings made for radio I assume, then, that this CD does not overlap with the earlier Asmussen CD series on Phontastic and on Swan Music (the latter one a whopping 18-CD series AFAIK) that covered at least a good part of that era too. Honestly, though I'd love to hear those mid-50s German radio recordings made by Bengt Hallberg and the Almstedt-Lind Quartet again, for example, I am a bit wary of what German radio would have recorded in those days. Usually the swing content was watered down noticeably in favor of the appeal to the "general public". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.A.W. Posted February 4, 2010 Report Share Posted February 4, 2010 he is one of those artists that should be mentioned between names like Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Thelonious Monk. I used to enjoy Mr A on British TV years ago, but I think that's a bit of an exaggeration MG Indeed. I'd say it's a gross exaggeration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted February 4, 2010 Report Share Posted February 4, 2010 Yes, but I do really enjoy Svend's playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swinging Swede Posted March 20, 2010 Report Share Posted March 20, 2010 he is one of those artists that should be mentioned between names like Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Thelonious Monk. I used to enjoy Mr A on British TV years ago, but I think that's a bit of an exaggeration Indeed. I'd say it's a gross exaggeration. No, alphabetically Asmussen should definitely be mentioned between Armstrong and Ellington! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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