ARTS JOURNAL / RIFFTIDES (USA) - Doug Ramsey / 2016.12.09
I heard pianist Mattias Nilsson briefly at the 2015 Ystad Jazz Festival in Sweden as part of the rhythm section accompanying singer Sharón Clark and was intrigued. His solo album Dreams Of Belonging arrived a few weeks ago and intrigued me further. It opens with Folk Melody From Västmanland and includes three other pieces with folk-like melodies incorporating major/minor harmonic aspects that make so much Swedish music – well - intriguing. I don’t know whether Thore Swanerud’s Södermalm came to Nilsson equipped with the bluesy turns he gives it or they are his own, but he makes it compelling. Touch, phrasing and blending with keyboard and pedal are among Nilsson’s strong suits.