TWO SOUNDS ENSEMBLE "Inversions I-VI" ( Einnicken Records )
"Sweden's TSE-Two Sounds Ensemble-reigns in its free jazz vision with laudable restraint, with a lovely wandering progression in its instantly composed music that stays appealingly within earshot of the lyrical and melodic musical path, stretching structure with breaking it. /.../ One of the most accessible and enjoyable free jazz sets this year."
Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz, August 12, 2004 (USA)
"The whole thing seems much more focused than entirely free duets usually do - these guys obviously have played together quite a bit, and have a good feel for each others' ranges. There's plenty of swirling abstraction, as one might expect, but they also keep things varied with some beautifully lyrical passages and some gorgeous on the spot (presumably) themes... it seems like they really explored the space and found some interesting corners along the way. Definitely recommended."
Charles Walker, Jazzcorner, June 2004 (USA)
"The duo TSE is Stefan Wistrand on tenor and soprano saxes and Joakim Simonsson on piano, and came into existence in 2002 with the idea of playing jazz standards. But pure improvisation took over and they always began in the unmade and concluded in the unfinished, as the sleeve nicely puts it. The approach is melodic, mostly unabrasive and in a free adlib tempo the piano tone is bright and the recording well projected."
Andy Hamilton, The Wire 4/2005 (England)
"Both are complete players on their instruments. Simonsson is as adroit with inside-the-keyboard work and bashing tonal clusters as with lingering over a sequence of wellplaced consonant chords or pseudo fugue-like structures. Wistrand has a very human sound on both tenor and soprano. His tenor sound is full and throaty, even gruff at times. His soprano is wispy and that quality is particularly effective in the early moments of Inversion VI. At times, as on Inversion IV, the music sounds almost composed. That should not necessarily be a goal of free improvisation but its sometimes a pleasant surprise when things of that nature happen. Inversions is a solid series of duets, well worth hearing. The only gripe is that the playing time is too short."
Robert Iannapollo, Cadence 2/2005 (USA)
"Inversions" classifies this duo as one that has some real unique ideas and a distinctive way of delivering them. Stefan's underplayed and understated playing only emphasizes the beauty of Joakim's delicate piano delivery. As a duo, I hear them doing passages that sound nothing more than a simple recital of the scales. Then again, there are other moments when you think these two are joined at the head. You hear that these two musicians have obviously played with one another a good number of times.
I hear a lot of tenderness and a good amount of delicacy as both players seemed to be in a highly relaxed mode that day in January 2004 when this session was put down to tape. Based on "Inversions", I'm anticipating lots more great music from this duo in years to come."
Tom Sekowski, Gaz-Eta 34/2005 (Poland)
"Swedish duo TSE - Two Sounds Ensemble - formed by saxophonist Stefan Wistrand and pianist Joakim Simonsson sails in this new work for the Einnicken label between free visions jazz, light melodic progressions and lyric echoes. The two outline harmonic structures that are dilated and then unfolded like burlaps to the wind, shattered when you least expect it. They propose therefore six Inversions, with true and own changes of route, cracks melody for a short or long while, where the improvisational unit shadows each other gracefully, and then they are withdrawn, hidden, permuted in always new figures. Wistrand and Simonsson paints a music always and only on the outside of the banal mainstream. From there it come out free jazz of blue taste, Nordic, Arctic, indeed free, which is rare to find, in these times, from two young people. A jazz always fresh, charming, also full of agreement if you want, but not of the tired kind. Recommended."
Alekos Pandelis, Altrisuoni, November 2005 (Italy)
"THOUGHTFUL IMPROVISATION. This is a beautiful and melodic record that treads with grace and feeling on already entered improvisational grounds. To be considered a narrow musical form the Two Sound Ensemble's interpretation of the idiom is inviting and easy to listen to. They aren't afraid of the known and dare to play a beautiful note without blushing."
Leif Carlsson, Lira 4/2004 (Sweden)
"'TSE presents a poetic music with a beautiful and eventful inner landscape, where piano and wind instruments co-operate surprisingly well by capturing each others needs of path finding leaps with supporting harmonies."
Stefan Nilson, Nerikes Allehanda, June 21, 2004 (Sweden)
Purchase Two Sounds Ensemble album at iTunes or Klicktrack (downloads), Einnicken Records (CDs)
