reprinted from: Jazz Connection Magazine     .     October  2004     .     www.jazzconnectionmag.com
by
Stephen Fratallone/Jazz Connection Magazine  

Graham Johnson   Egg with Graham Johnson Bassmon Productions  Rating:

     After graduating from high school last year, eighteen-year-old pianist Graham Johnson from Chico, CA, headed off to Norway for a year before beginning his undergraduate studies this fall at Oberlin College in Ohio. Utilizing his time abroad creatively, he connected with native Norwegian jazz musicians to jam, perform and record. One such group Johnson connected with was the power trio, Egg.

The outcome of such a collaborative musical union resulted in an album by the same name on Johnson's own independent label, Bassmon Productions. The nine-track CD celebrates the universal language of music that offers a nice balance of modern jazz standards with original works.

Members of Egg are trumpeter Eirik Dørsdal, bassist Sondre Sandhaug, and drummer Marius Slinning.

Johnson and crew offer tasty interpretations of Wayne Shorter's signature tune, Footprints, Thelonious Monk's 'Round Midnight, and Miles Davis' Nardis.

Dørsdal displays some expressive ballad playing on 'Round Midnight and Nardis.  In fact, his whole trumpet style sounds heavily influenced by Davis.

Johnson's penchant for composition takes on some exciting overtones with the album's pulsating title track.  A more subdued posture is taken on the easy-flowing Albert Kan Ikke Fly (co-written with Dørsdal), while the band gets into a funky groove on Ikke Ennå.

Two bonus tracks  -  No End and Cashew  -  showcase Johnson's fertile imagination at solo piano.

A superb international effort that shouts, "From Norway with love." 

Track selections:  Footprints, Egg, Albert Kan Ikke Fly, Ikke Enna, Nardis, Visa Fran Utamyra, 'Round Midnight, No End, Cashew

Egg tunes recorded in December 2003 in Gimse, Norway.

Solo tunes recorded in October 2003 in Trondheim, Norway

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