Antonio Dayyani invites us to step into a world where tradition and innovation meet, crafting an album that resonates with both the heart and the mind.
April Records
Antonio Dayyani – Drums; Harald Hagelsjær – Double Bass; Cahlo Hayman – Guitars (except track 1); Magnus Munk Tækker – Pedal Steel Guitar; Jon Askjær – Trumpet, Flugelhorn; Andrea Maagaard – Piano; Special guest, Carlo Dayyani – Guitar (track 1)
Antonio Dayyani’s second studio album, TROP OP, seamlessly blends eight of his original compositions with a reimagined traditional Swedish folk song, each piece infused with a country-tinged Scandinavian melancholy. Dayyani’s writing is both simple and sophisticated, emphasizing lyrical melodies and rich folk harmonies. With the Dayyani Sextet’s experience in some of Denmark’s more popular jazz ensembles, Dayyani’s unique sound truly comes to life.
Dayyani is backed by the same sextet that supported his first album. The lineup includes bassist Harald Hagelskjær, known from the Aarhus-based Kosmos Trio; guitarist Cahlo Heyman Krill; Magnus Munk Tækker on pedal steel guitar; and Jon Askjær on trumpet and flugelhorn, who also plays with the trio Nordlys, the duo Tigeroak, and the Vingborg/Valencia Quartet. Pianist Andrea Maagaard completes the group. Antonio’s brother, Carlo Dayyani, also makes a guest appearance on the album’s opening track, ‘Wow, Det er Nat.’
The melodic theme of ‘Wow, det er nat ’(Wow, It Is nighttime) grabs your attention and pulls you into a broad, immersive soundscape, a hallmark of Dayyani’s compositions. Carlo Dayyani’s guitar solo shines with the added touch of Jon Askjær’s luminous sounding trumpet.
I really like Andrea Maagaard’s piano playing on ’Skiftevisen ’(The Shifting Song). Imagine a laidback ethereal Bobby Timmons. Combined with Dayyani’s simple yet perfectly executed stickwork and the occasional rimshot, bassist Harald Hagelskjær’s playing is warm and confident.
It’s very easy to listen to Jon Askjær play trumpet. He has this breathy, but beautifully open tone that is so calming. He begins’ Snefald pá Lyravej ’(Snowfall on Lyravej) alongside the piano and bass, while Pedal steel guitarist Magnus Munk Tækker weaves slow, gorgeous lyrical lines that wrap around the other instruments. Dayyani’s minimalist drumming brings the song to a poignant close.
’Stjerner over Vercors ’(Stars over Vercors) has a sound that could easily be mistaken for something the Pat Metheny Group might play, until Jon Askjaer’s clear, pure trumpet tone kicks in, unmistakably grounding it in the realm of Scandinavian jazz.
Dayyani’s beautiful and deeply moving arrangement of the well-known Swedish folk melody, ’Vem kan segla förutan vind ’(Who Can Sail Without Wind) opens with Magnus Tækker’s pedal steel creating airy, suspended tones, while the piano and trumpet add a gentle, flowing backdrop.
In TROP OP (Step Up), Antonio Dayyani invites us to step into a world where tradition and innovation meet, crafting an album that resonates with both the heart and the mind.
