LARS DANIELSSON & GRÉGORY PRIVAT PLAY LIBERETTO

June 8 at Paliesius Manor — the first Lars Danielsson and Grégory Privat duo concert in the Baltics!

Swedish double bassist Lars Danielsson is a true legend of Nordic jazz, consistently drawing high praise from critics. He plays the double bass with a more melodic and lyrical touch than most, possessing technical mastery, a vivid musical imagination, and an almost telepathic understanding of his fellow musicians. At Paliesius Manor, he will appear alongside jazz pianist Grégory Privat from Martinique, who is considered one of the brightest lights of the new jazz scene.

The duo will perform “Liberetto” — L. Danielsson’s most celebrated album and the quintessence of his varied forms of expression. The record strikes a delicate balance between jazz, classical music, pop, and European folk traditions, thereby opening a new dimension for compositional processes and dramatic arcs within jazz. Pianist Grégory Privat adds yet another distinct, deeply personal resonance to this music.

Lars Danielsson was born in Gothenburg in 1958. He studied classical cello at the Gothenburg Conservatory, but while still a student, he turned toward jazz and took up the double bass—a shift inspired by hearing the legendary Danish bassist Nils-Henning Ǿrsted Pedersen in concert, an experience that moved him profoundly. Fortunately, L. Danielsson decided not to abandon his cello studies, choosing instead to integrate them into his ongoing work. He continues to play the cello to this day, a choice that lends his double bass playing a subtly more melodic, softer, and lyrical quality.

Thanks to these unique qualities, Lars Danielsson soon became highly sought after internationally as an accompanying musician. In the 1980s, he worked with Swedish and European luminaries such as Lars Jansson, Hans Ulrik, Carsten Dahl, Nils Landgren, Christopher Dell, Johannes Enders, and Trilok Gurtu, as well as American stage stars including saxophonists Rick Margitza and Charles Lloyd, the Brecker Brothers, drummers Terri Lyne Carrington, Jack DeJohnette, and Billy Hart, and guitarists John Scofield, Mike Stern, and John Abercrombie. Yet, the role of an accompanist was never quite enough for L. Danielsson. He always possessed the soul of a composer, and today he stands as one of the relatively few double bassists to become a significant bandleader.

L. Danielsson formed a quartet with American saxophonist David Liebman, Swedish pianist Bobo Stenson, and Norwegian drummer Jon Christensen. For nearly 20 years, this all-star quartet provided him with the finest avenue for musical self-expression. Both B. Stenson and J. Christensen are pioneers of the “Nordic sound”—a seamless blend of jazz and the Scandinavian ethos—and are longtime recording artists for the ECM label. The quartet’s albums garnered not only enthusiastic reviews but also numerous awards, cementing L. Danielsson’s reputation as one of Europe’s premier jazz musicians. This ensemble also laid the foundation for his work as a composer, arranger, and producer, which has expanded remarkably ever since. L. Danielsson has also collaborated with the Danish Radio Concert Orchestra, the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, the NDR Bigband, the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, the JazzBaltica ensemble, drummer Jon Johanssen, and singers Viktoria Tolstoy and Cæcilie Norby—the latter being his wife, whom the bassist regularly accompanies.

At the dawn of this century, L. Danielsson broadened his musical horizons and the stylistic spectrum of his projects. On his 2004 ACT release “Libera Me,” he proved himself a master of orchestral jazz. His follow-up two years later, “Mélange Bleu,” surprised listeners with modern, carefully tailored electronic textures layered into his expansive, sonically daring, and rich compositions. In 2007, alongside Polish pianist Leszek Możdżer on the album “Pasodoble,” he crafted a breathtaking sonic manifesto bridging jazz and classical music. With “Tarantella,” his music unfolded within the context of a chamber jazz ensemble. Essentially, with every album, the artist discovers a new sound. All of his records have received immense critical acclaim, achieving gold or platinum status, while his orchestral initiative “Blauklang” earned a Grammy nomination.

In 2012, with the album “Liberetto,” L. Danielsson found the quintessence of his various forms of expression. The musician notes that this newly coined word “describes a certain mood with which I wish to develop my music.” Recorded with Armenian star pianist Tigran, Swedish drummer Magnus Öström, British guitarist John Parricelli, and trumpeter Arve Henriksen, “Liberetto” strikes a fine balance between jazz, classical music, pop, and European folk, opening an entirely new dimension for composition and dramaturgy in jazz. The project proved so successful that it continues to this day: following “Liberetto II” with Tigran and “Liberetto III” with the aforementioned quartet, a new and distinct shade emerged. Martinique pianist Grégory Privat and L. Danielsson presented a symphonic version of this concept and its compositions at the Leopolis Jazz Fest. A recording of this project is also due to be released in the near future.

Naturally, L. Danielsson finds time for other captivating projects as well: he takes part in the unique concert series “Jazz at the Berlin Philharmonic” and works in a duo with Sardinian trumpeter Paolo Fresu, one of the most lyrical trumpet players of all time. Their collaborative album “Summerwind” proves once again exactly what makes L. Danielsson so special: his technical mastery, his vivid and inexhaustible musical imagination, and his almost telepathic understanding of his fellow musicians.

Grégory Privat was born in Martinique in December 1984 and is the son of pianist José Privat, known for his work with the internationally acclaimed Caribbean band Malavoi. The piano captivated Grégory Privat from an early age; he began private lessons at six and studied classical music for 10 years before shifting his focus to improvisational techniques and jazz.

While studying at an engineering school in Toulouse, the pianist spent his nights playing in several of the city’s jazz clubs. Later, in Paris, armed with his engineering degree, G. Privat fully devoted himself to his passion for the stage. The pianist’s path soon crossed with musicians such as Jacques Schwarz-Bart, Stephane Belmondo, Guillaume Perret, and Sonny Troupé.

Seeking to establish himself in the jazz world, G. Privat competed in the Montreux Jazz Festival piano competition in 2008, and the Martial Solal competition in 2010, where he reached the semi-finals. The following year saw the release of his first album, “Ki Koté.” Spurred by the successful reception of these early personal compositions, the pianist resolved to continue along this path.

In September 2013, he released the album “Tales of Cyparis,” inspired by the story of Louis-Auguste Cyparis, the sole prisoner to survive the 1902 eruption of Mount Pelée, who was later employed by the Barnum circus. This project was met with glowing critical acclaim, positioning G. Privat among the brightest musicians of the new jazz scene. This status was cemented by his third album, “Luminescence,” released in January 2015. Recorded as a duo with Sonny Troupé, a loyal partner and a magnificent master of Gwo-ka music, the album received a mention in the “Discovery of the Year, Frank-Ténot Prize” category at the 2015 “Victoires du Jazz” awards.

In 2015, G. Privat became the new pianist for Swedish double bassist Lars Danielsson’s “Liberetto” quartet. The bassist encouraged him to sign with the ACT label: thus, in October 2016, the prestigious label released “Family Tree,” the debut album of the first G. Privat trio (featuring drummer Tilo Bertholo and bassist Linley Marthe).

Three years later, in pursuit of freedom and artistic independence, Grégory founded his own record label, Buddham Jazz, producing and recording the 2020 album “Soley” with bassist Chris Jennings and drummer Tilo Bertholo.

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