License to Funk

Another jazz masterpiece

Swedish funk and jazz trombone player Nils Landgren was born in 1956. Having thoroughly studied how to play classical trombone at a music college, he soon turned to improvisation and gradually developed his own unique style of playing the instrument for which became renowned all over the world. His debut album Planet Rock was released in 1983 and since then Nils continued recording new material, finding time for acting both in the films and onstage. Yet the real success came only in the 1990s when a constantly expanding band of talented musicians joined him to create the so called Nils Landgren Unit. Together they began to record excellent jazz music, and this year it is already the eighth album that is to see the light of the day. Licence To Funk is another jazz masterpiece created by several songwriters who form an integral unit bearing the name of Nils Landgren.

A really impressive album Licence To Funk

The main peculiarity of music on Licence To Funk is by all means its voluminosity. Multilevel instrumental parts combined with the vocals that are light but never primitive sound really impressive. Ovations at the beginning and at the end of several songs add to the presence effect. The album opens with a stimulating tune of House Party which can wake up anybody with its contagious beat. The optimistic guitars of Freak U combine greatly with amazing sax. 24 Hours is a calmer composition where the main character is a lover who is ready to sleep 24 hours as he is afraid to wake up to find his beloved woman gone. A danceable song Stuff Lik That is again full of almost childish gayety whereas the following instrumental tracks Slowfoot and Capetown Shuffle are rather suitable for a romantic evening with candles. A bluesy song Secret pleases with wonderful female vocals and instrumental composition SampleRayT is another danceable number remarkable for splendid brass. For Those Who Like To Party is based on a single sample that shines with new colors because of faultless improvisation. The album closes with another slow number Tomomis Tune which awakes the most pleasant reminiscences.

Nils Landgren's invaluable creation

Even one listening to the album is enough to understand that the lightness and energy of music played by Nils Landgren Unit is a sign of the huge professional experience behind the shoulders of each of the band members. For quite some time Landgren himself joined most varied projects in Sweden and abroad playing trombone. To date his employment sheet includes such stars of international level as ABBA, The Crusaders, Wyclef Jean and many others. That is why as he states himself he has never referred his manner of playing to any particular style for he has dealt with jazz, hip hop, rock and even played with orchestras during his over twenty-year-old career. And this kind of story is the one that any of the musicians who took part in recording the mew album can boast. One of them for instance is the guitarist from Detroit named Ray Parker Jr. who is the author of the world hit Ghostbusters and seemed to have given up music back in the nineties. Thus even for the people involved Nils Landgren's creation is simply invaluable, and for all who enjoy quality music it will be the best acquisition.