The trio keeps the history close without ever standing still — one of the most purely enjoyable jazz albums to come along this year.
In The Flesh Record Company
Kristoffer Vejslev – guitar; Martin Brunbjerg Rasmussen – bass; Rasmus Elhøj Jensen – drums; featuring: Rudi Mahall – bass clarinet (1, 2, 5, 10); Hannes Bennich – tenor saxophone (1, 5, 8, 10); Simon Toldam | piano (3, 9, 11)
It’s a Riot! lives up to its title — three musicians having way too much fun with the jazz tradition and seeing where it takes them. Guitarist Kristoffer Vejslev, bassist Martin Brunbjerg, and drummer Rasmus Elhøj come out swinging on their debut, reworking jazz standards with punch, humor, and a sense of curiosity.
They dig straight into Thelonious Monk’s world with “Monk’s Dream,” opening on fat, rolling bass lines and a tight drum groove. Vejslev’s guitar has a warm, resonant tone—each note clean and deliberate. Guest players Rudi Mahall on bass clarinet and Hannes Bennich on tenor sax step in. Mahall’s got such a big, biting tone you’d swear it was a sax at times.. Bennich’s tenor lines are fluid and melodic, and when the two horns come together, they push the tune forward with real muscle. “Ask Me Now” turns that energy inward—Mahall bends and twists notes in the melody before Vejslev steps in with crisp, single-note phrases that bring everything gently back to center.
The trio alone can play just as hard as when guests are in the room. On “Ricochet,” rapid bass runs and piano bursts from guest Simon Toldam give the piece a fiery energy, before the trio suddenly eases into quiet reflection. That same calm shapes their version of “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning.” Vejslev’s guitar floats in slow motion, delicate and clear, recalling the elegance of Johnny Smith. Brunbjerg’s bass moves with its own melodic pulse, and the brushes shimmer lightly on the drums. Every note lingers, every line matters — the trio sounds fully present and utterly in sync.
They explore a wide range of jazz history, from the familiar to the rarely played. Ted Brown’s “Smog Eyes,” his cool-school take on “There Will Never Be Another You,” gets a Nordic Lee Konitz–Warne Marsh–style treatment, with both guest horns stating the melody in unison. “Tricotism,” by bassist Oscar Pettiford, becomes a tight, two-minute clinic in rhythm — Brunbjerg and Elhøj swinging hard, no guitar needed.
Gordon Jenkins ’”Goodbye,” later used as the closing theme for Benny Goodman’s orchestra, closes the album on a quietly emotional note. Vejslev plays his Telecaster through a looper pedal, layering gentle phrases that drift over the trio’s pulse. A touch of electronic distortion colors his tone, never enough to blur the melody. Brunbjerg’s bass moves like a heartbeat, and Elhøj’s cymbals shimmer faintly. The effect lingers— soft and haunting.
By the time they hit Monk again with “Well You Needn’t,” the full band cuts loose. Both horns are back, tangling in jittery, half-dissonant lines that somehow stay locked together. Bennich’s tenor starts relaxed, then tightens into short, squealing bursts, while the drums grow more aggressive. When the band circles back to Monk’s theme near the end, it’s raucous and alive — just the way Thelonious would’ve liked it.
It’s a Riot! may reach back to jazz’s past, but it feels entirely of the moment. The trio keeps the history close without ever standing still — one of the most purely enjoyable jazz albums to come along this year.
