Niels Jørgen Steen’s Beatkapell - The Åhus Concert

Henrik Kaldahl, Jazznet

This new release from Ayler records is a live recording from july 1973 at the Åhus Jazz festival in Sweden. The band playing on this magnificent recording was Niels Jørgen Steen's Beatkapell, a very popular jazz collective at that time in the nordic countries.

The Beatkapell was on this particular occasion Niels Jørgen Steen on piano, Jesper Thilo on tenorsaxofone and vocals, Torben Munk on guitar, Hugo Rasmussen on bass and Ove Rex on drums.
As a extra bonus Red Mitchell is on vocals on one track, he was in the audience at the concert and just had to come on stage an participate with amazing scat vocals on the track Perdido.

The Beatkapell plays their way through 7 tracks, one more swinging and joyfull than the other. There is no doubt in this reviewers mind, that this group of fine musicians had one hell of a time playing together way back in 1973.
The Beatkapell are swinging like there was no tomorrow and the interplay between the musicians are quite enjoyable and something special.

This CD is different from the other releases by Ayler records, who until now mainly has concentrated their forces on free jazz and improvised music. This time around it is swing music which is in focus and in my humble opinion this release is a interesting and quite amusing one.
It is very hard not to get in a damn good mood listening to the music on this CD. Buy it, if not only for the music, then also for the historical value of it as it documents a part of Danish jazz history in its finest form.
Highly recommended.