| Review courtesy of All About Jazz: At the time When I Have You was recorded, the late Bent Jaedig was Denmark’s leading tenorman and a giant among his bandmates in the Osgood/Jaedig Quartet, a pianoless group that substitutes trombone for trumpet. The CD is programmed to alternate straightahead, swinging uptempo numbers with ballads of uncommon tenderness and beauty.
European players seem to have a particular affinity for ballads, perhaps tapping into a natural cultural melancholy. They understand the tonal qualities of their instruments (the flutter of a reed; the resonance of brass; the reverberation of wood and the continuous buzz of drumming with brushes). It’s talent borne by knowledge and respect. With a sound derived from Ben Webster and Dexter Gordon, Jaedig, like the old bull who knows it can be more productive to walk rather than run, is masterful on “Solitaire” and the title track, while Kresten Osgood’s feathery touch on drums and Jonas Vestergaard’s soft double bass plucks suspend the air around the veteran’s horn. This hour of music is well-paced and well- prepared, like a meal in a good restaurant, delivered promptly and best eaten ravenously. |