Tommy Crona – Reflections SACD OPUS3

This album is called Reflections, and it is my first solo album. Here are some reflections of my life:

As a youngster I started listening to pop music such as The Who and The Animals. When I was around 12 years old I began playing classical music. My favorites then (and today) were Bartok and Chopin.

After a couple of years I started getting in to blues and jazz artists, like Ramsey Lewis. In 1967 I discovered Miles Davis' album Four and More, and that album really blew my mind! The pianist, Herbie Hancock, was one of the best I have ever heard, and he still is. From that day I was completely into jazz.

I studied at different music schools in Stockholm and my intention was to join The Royal Academy of Music in Sweden. But in those days there was no real jazz education there - it was more or less the path to becoming a music teacher, and that was something I was not interested in. Instead I started playing with different bands and spent years playing gigs all around Sweden.

Later on I got into the car business which is where I spent most of my working life. A couple of years ago, as I retired, I decided to get back into music. I started playing a lot again and I've done several concerts - playing in churches, different jazz clubs etc.

Chick Corea has also become one of my favorite pianists and has always been a great inspiration to me. I began listening to him in the early '70s. When his album Return to Forever was released, it was a true milestone; a new way of playing electric piano. I've followed his career over the years, attending many of his concerts locally and abroad. It's very sad to know that he passed away.

In this album I have included two of his songs. They are not very well known, but beautiful songs of Chick Corea.

"Mirror, Mirror" is a jazz waltz. It goes round an around, like a mirror house in an amusement park.

Then we have "Bud Powell," which is a straight forward jazz tune dedicated to the wonderful pianist Bud Powell.

Then there are songs of Monk, of Bernstein and also some jazz standards.

The last song of this CD is a traditional Swedish tune called "Visa från Utanmyra." This song became well known after Jan Johansson's great interpretation. I have rearranged the song to be in 3/4 time signature and with different harmonies.

Last but not least, a big thank you to my great fellow musicians Hans and Jesper. They are wonderful to work with. Their engagement, routine and touch of perfect made it easier for me to do this recording.

- Tommy Crona

Recording Equipment
MICROPHONES: Thuresson stereo CM-504, Coles 4050 - Stereo ribbon microphone, AKG C-426, Stereo microphone, AKG D-12, Beyer Dynamic M-160
MICROPHONE PREAMPLIFEIRS: Thuresson 4-channel custom made, AMEK 9098 and Millennia HV-3D 8
ANALOG AUDIO CONSOLE: Neve 5422
DIGITAL EQUPMENT: RME Fireface 800
DAW: Reaper
MONITOR SPEAKER: Totem Acoustics, Mani-2 Signature

Features

• Super Audio CD
• SACD Stereo SACD Layer
• This Hybrid SACD contains a 'Red Book' Stereo CD Layer which is playable on most conventional CD Players!
• Recorded & Mixed by Erik Nordström & Jan-Eric Persson
• Mastered by Thomas Eberger at Stockholm Mastering
• Made in Germany

Musicians

Selections

1. It Could Happen to You
2. Mirror Mirror
3. Pannonica
4. Love Is a Many Splendored Thing
5. Stablemates
6. Bud Powell
7. To Wisdom the Price
8. Lullaby of the Leaves
9. Simple As That
10. Voyage
11. Ugly Beauty
12. Visa från Utanmyra