(NOR-CD 0245/MUSIKOPERATØRENE, TIME 45 MIN)

Thomas Winther Andersen – double bass, Chander Sardjoe – drums
Recorded in Amsterdam, May 2000 and January 2001.

The Norwegian double bassist Thomas Winther Andersen lives in Amsterdam; his quintet CD “Line up” were reviewed in OJ 6/99. Here he can be heard in a duet with drummer Chander Sardjoe from the Netherlands. Four well-known songs are played in original arrangements. Andersen composed the rest. Waltz for Debby, written by the pianist Bill Evans is his high point opening showcase of the CD. He generates a big sound in the bass and plays with real vigour. Instead of playing as fast as possible, Andersen emphasizes on the quality of the low register. The title track is a suite in three parts. He was inspired by the deep tones of the Australian folk instrument the didgeridoo and attempts to create similar sounds with the bow in the first part. In the third part, which has very strong and swinging rhythms, he switches effectively between arco and pizzicato techniques. Andersen’s interlude is a brilliant bass solo. Certainly, there is a lot of bass on this CD, but not too much when it sounds like this.

Sven Boija, Orkesterjournalen, Sweden 0802 Issue 9

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The question is posed by Thomas Winther Andersen, Norwegian double bassist in Amsterdam who in 1998 released “Line UP” with mainly Norwegian musicians. In this new recording he has with him only the Dutch drummer Chander Sarjoe and asks: “Too Much Bass?” As a great fan of the double bass, I can control myself as far as bass solo recordings go, but with drums in addition, this is really the business. Winter Andersen opens up with Bill Evans’ classic “Waltz for Debby” on a brush background and performs with style. Then I am more anxious as regards “Giant Steps” the Coltrane classic, but the two of them pull it off with Sarjoe’s attentive drum playing together with powerful bass playing. He throws himself into Mingus’ “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” and Luis Bonfas’ “Black Orpheus”, and I admit that I was positively surprised by the way this is musically arranged. Now and then, the double bassist takes a breath that can be really heard before he on a polyphonic bass launches into the three parts of the title track. Too Much Bass? Not to my ears.

By Roald Helgheim, Dagsavisen 26.08.2002

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‘Too much bass?’ is een soort muzikale dialoog waarin snelle wisselingen van tempo en maatsoort domineren. Sardjoe, die onder meer speelde met Steve Colemans ‘Five Elements’ en ‘Metrics’, toont zich een meester in de onregelmatige ritmes. Met vloeiende lijn surfen zijn wild schuimende breaks over Andersens onvoorspelbaar golvende melodieën: een warme stroom basnoten die je telkens onderuit haalt en als in een woeste branding meesleurt de diepte in, om je vervolgens driemaal over de kop, knalhard weer op vaste bodem te smijten.

Op zich is bewonderenswaardig hoe Andersen en Sardjoe de traditionele speelwijze van hun instrument trouw blijven; je hoort wat je meestal ontgaat in grotere bezettingen. De instrumenten treden meer op de voorgrond, maar vragen tegelijkertijd om een extra creatieve benadering. Zo onderhoudend als de experimenten met ritme, maat en tempo op de cd zijn, zo eentonig is het gebruik van klankkleur.

Goed, Andersen laat tonen vaak lang doorklinken (zoals de op de Australische didgeridoo-klank geënte titeltrack), wisselt af tussen strijkstok, plukken en pizzicato en maakt gebruik van flageoletten (het spelen van harmonische boventonen door snaren te plukken, zonder deze helemaal in te drukken), zoals in de Mingus-compositie ‘Goodbye Pork Pie Hat’, maar het blijft steeds dezelfde donkerbruine basklank. En daar moet je wel genoeg van houden om de rit uit te zitten. Bovendien is Sardjoe niet het type slagwerker dat zich omringt met allerhande kleurrijke hulpmiddelen als vreemde stokken, belletjes of percussie, een handelsmerk van drummers als bijvoorbeeld Jim Black of Michael Vatcher. Niettemin gaat de ritmetandem dapper met de billen bloot en voorziet de stukken, ondanks het wat naakte klankbeeld, steeds van een bruisende swing. Naast werken van Evans, Mingus en Coltrane staan op het album drie composities van Ander sen zelf, met als hoogtepunt de titeltrack. Dit is een soort suite in drie delen waar, onder een strakke spanningsboog, virtuositeit dienstig is aan een verhalende, enigszins filmische voortgang. Alleen al voor deze meesterlijke thriller is ‘Too much bass?’ het beluisteren waard.

 Armand Serpenti

Trouw  Kunst, donderdag 4 april 2002

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A whole recording with just double bass and drums? You bet! This is an innovative and challenging project by a young bassist from Norway. Thomas Winther Andersen brings an interesting and appealing approach to his three original compositions and the four jazz standards on this CD.

On the beginning track, Waltz For Debby, Andersen opens the Evans Lees piece with a soulful introduction and proceeds in to the waltz accompanied by Sardjoe`s tasteful brushworks. Bass To Bass is a funky downhill groove. You can almost hear both players smiling. The John Coltrane classic Giant Steps shows off Andersen’s facility with an arrangement that features the drummer Chander Sardjoe. Interlude is an original by the bassist and he performs this solo, a pensive and lilting dance on the strings. Charles Mingus`Goodbye Pork Pie Hat again features the fine brushwork of Chander Sardjoe and the lyrical interpretation of this classic by Andersen. A challenging Latin arrangement of Black Orpheus allows Andersen en Sardjoe to play tag with the melody and features a tidy solo by the drummer. The final and title piece, Too Much Bass?, is in three parts. The first movement is inspired by the long notes of the Australian instrument, the didgeridoo. The second is a slow swing piece, while the third movement features interplay between bowing and pizzicato, giving the idea of two lines flowing simultaneously.

This recording was inspired by Andersen’s collaboration with drummer Sardjoe. And many great bass/drum teams come to mind – Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen, Rufus Reid and Victor Lewis, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb to mention just a few. This duo is to be commended on an excellent performance and a successful recording. Scores are available from the artists website noted above

Review by Paul Pearce

The journal of the international society of Bassists
Volume 26. Number Two 2002

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The Norwegian double bassist, Thomas Winther Andersen, who has lived most of his adult and hence also professional life in the Netherlands has on a number of previous occasions emerged as a unique talent. He is really sticking his neck out with this duo recording, being assisted only by drums. We are pleased to announce that he has survived on all counts. Previously, we have, almost inevitably, come across the emigrated Mr Andersen in rather larger arenas. This has resulted in a considerably less prominent role than is the case here, but whatever the setting where Thomas Winther Andersen has appeared, he has convinced us that the great native country has fostered a very high class musician, now stationed in clog-land.

What he ventures into in “Too Much Bass?” is a calculated risky voyage. It is no exaggeration to call this exposure of his double bassist heart and soul with only percussionist support courageous. However, there is a lot of evidence that Winther Andersen has been in relatively good control of what he has set out to do. This is a musician with a very good insight into his instrument’s possibilities and whose technique is supreme, with a tone that is deeply personal. Winther Andersen shows that he has great command over the different jazz genres and contributions made by important jazz personalities. “Waltz for Debby”, immortalized by Bill Evans, John Coltrane’s qualifying work “Giant Steps”, double bass guru Charles Mingus’ cunning tribute to Lester Young’s “Goodbye Port Pie Hat”, and the Latin classic “Black Orpheus” are the imported pillars. Winther Andersen has written the remaining pieces, including the title track in three parts.

Even if parts of this material are well-known, Winther Andersen takes great liberties both rhythmically and form-wise, also the meters change a number of times within the same number. The total effect creates new moments of suspense and we can “hear” that Winther Andersen takes the time to reflect where he wants the music to go. He is assisted excellently in this by his “fellow countryman” Chander Sardjoe. It is clear that these two have a close relationship: they know intuitively where and when they should let the other one in and how they shall direct their teammate to new paths. Sardjoe is an exciting and particularly attentive and musical percussionist and the perfect partner in this duo context.

One of the ideas behind the recording was to set new limits for the double bass as a solo instrument. Thomas Winther Andersen has certainly succeeded in doing so and the only answer to his rhetorical question “Too Much Bass?” has to be: Not at all! Keep up with the bass Winther Andersen.

Tor Hammarø, Review Puls Music, January 2002

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