Jazz Review

«Paal Nilssen-Love’s solo percussion project Sticks and Stones (SOFA 505) is exemplary, balancing the colours of three different drum-kit layouts with meaty ideas. The music hovers delicately or locks into spluttering patterns, with rude interruptions from a host of woodblocks, bells and exotic cymbals. The descriptive sounds Nilssen-Love gets from his cymbals on the delicate «Butterfly Wings» melt in the ear. Nilssen-Love is also responsible for the powerhouse drumming on the scintillating Standing Wave (SOFA 504) from pianist Sten Sandell’s trio with Johan Berthling on bass. Nilssen-Love’s Andrew Cyrille meets Paul Motion playing matches Sandell’s densely ornate lines to perfection. There’s a hint of the Andrew Hills about his playing and though he deals with the tension/release of sonic energy that is food and drink to free music, he does so in a highly original way. Frenetic certainly, but also kaleidoscopic and expansive music which taps into considerable resources of Dionysian energy.»

Philip Clark