Danish drummer Daniel Sommer concludes his Nordic Trilogy with April Records in this much-anticipated third and final chapter, Lost Threads. The purpose of the trilogy? To capture the essence of Nordic improvisation and composition across three individual albums. But the twist comes in the form of the trio ensemble lineup: Sommer is the only staple player in each album, and he's joined by a series of different Nordic musicians each time. The two previous albums As Time Passes (an album that was featured as a Presto Jazz Recording of the Week last year) and Sounds and Sequences were both released in 2024, receiving praise from critics and listeners alike. The first album featured Rob Luft on guitar and Arild Andersen on bass, with the second featuring high-profile Norwegian trumpeter Arve Henriksen and Johannes Lundberg on bass. This final instalment sees Sommer joined by pianist from Finland, Artturi Rönkä, and bassist from Sweden, Thommy Andersson.  

Now based in Copenhagen, Sommer began his musical journey at age 5 when he first started playing the drums. From here, he began to perform in bands through his teen years and has since graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus, The Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and the Danish National Academy of Music. His musical career has seen him collaborate with widely-acclaimed musicians on national and international jazz scenes (many through this project alone), as well as developing his own artistic approach to drumming and composition. 

One of the largest impressions that you're left with after Lost Threads is the nuanced and introspective mood that flows throughout the album. Rönkä’s piano remains grounded and melodic, Andersson’s bass is rich and sonorous and Sommer’s drumming is light and responsive. Collective ensemble interplay and a sense of ‘togetherness’ does a lot of the work in achieving this particular sound. From the conception of the album to its execution, it’s clear that this particular approach to ensemble playing has been considered a substantial foundation. Rönkä admits that most of the music came from improvisatory sessions with Sommer in his living room in Helsinki, and the band ultimately recorded the tracks live in the studio without headphones to increase the ensemble connection. After recording, the trio even chose to forgo the edits in favour of a more organic sound. The overall effect is a soft and yet dynamic ebb and flow between players, with everything coming together in a series of gentle and lyrical soundscapes.  

The album opens with “Skärgårdsklubben at 6 AM”, a repeated piano riff supported by Sommer’s soft and percussive accompaniment. It’s slow and steady, and the melodic bass solo from Andersson is a standout moment with backing from Sommer’s accented drumming. “Silent Steps” begins with a subdued and yet expressive drum improvisation, courtesy of Sommer, that develops into a melodic soundscape with the addition of bass and piano. “Meditation” is a blissful-sounding track and you can hear ensemble members look to one another to ‘feel’ their way through the piece; as a listener you’re lulled by the ambience they create. One of the final tracks “Forgotten Song” is only 1 minute and 18 seconds long, but nonetheless captures the meaning of Nordic collective improvisation even in such a short space of time.

Sommer, Rönkä and Andersson craft a fitting conclusion to Sommer’s Nordic Trilogy, working seamlessly as a unit to deliver a collection of lyrical and resonating soundscapes that burst with depth and emotion. Looking back to Sommer’s initial quest of embodying the different facets of Nordic jazz music across three albums, there’s no doubt he’s done the job. This recent and final offering certainly matches the reputation set with the previous albums, but in terms of sound, this album doesn’t repeat what has been done before it. Sommer indubitably sheds light from a different angle on Nordic improvisation in this subtle and thoughtful finale.

Maddy Allison

from www.prestomusic.com