Esbjörn Svensson (1964-2008)

(Photo by Mark Jacobson.  Esbjörn is in blue.  November 2004, Michigan Theater.)

The Bad Plus double-billed with E.S.T. a few times, and it was always a great experience.  Esbjörn Svensson (piano), Dan Berglund (bass), and Magnus Öström (drums) were unfailingly gracious and supportive:  a truly lovely crew.

In addition to their tuneful music, the outstanding success of E.S.T. with jazz audiences the world over was fueled by two formidable qualities:  a belief in a band sound, and a commitment to having a top-flight sound engineer.  

E.S.T. was only Esbjörn, Magnus, and Dan.  No rotation or subs were allowed.  This insured that their show was always on a high level:  clear, unique, and with no music paper in sight.  If more jazz musicians committed to the band concept the state of jazz would be healthier.  (Rock musicians understood this years ago.)

Their true innovation, though, was their concern for sonic fidelity at all times.  At European jazz festivals, E.S.T. could lay waste to great American jazz bands that preceded or followed them on the same stage simply by having their tones always dialed in correctly while the other bands trusted to luck and the local engineer.  Esbjorn even announced their superb engineer Ake Linton to the audience.  In this interview,  Esbjörn called Linton “the fourth member of the trio.” 

TBP has always had its band concept intact, but it took us a while to get our sound concept together.  Those that saw us on tour in 2003 might have heard some pretty rough mixes!  But we have tried to get better about it, and since about mid-2004 have almost always traveled with a good engineer. 

In 2006, we played the big room at Carnegie Hall with four other bands in a tribute to the Village Vanguard.  All the bands were great, but I know for a fact we were the only band that had a paid engineer who looked the surly house staff in the eye and told them, “We need to use these mics, pick-ups, and set-ups, and you have to give me time to listen to them.”  Every other ensemble trusted to luck, and the audience and the reviewers noticed the difference.  Afterwards, I remember thinking in satisfaction, “Yeah!  We are finally getting that E.S.T. stuff together!”

It is impossible to comprehend that our peer Esbjörn Svensson was killed in a diving accident yesterday.  TBP sends deep condolences to Esbjörn’s family, Dan, Magnus, and Ake.

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E.S.T. plays “Goldwrap” on YouTube.