Norwegian guitarist Terje Rypdal will probably be most familiar to Kind Of Jazz readers for his work on ECM Records, as a solo artist, on the early albums by fellow Norwegian, Jan Garbarek  - such as Esoteric Circle (1969) or Afric Pepperbird (1970), or his work with the likes of John Surman and Ketil Bjørnstad.

Bleak House was his debut recording from 1968, and has been reissued on vinyl by Round 2, a specialist label dedicated to reissuing and restring classic Norwegian albums on high-quality, 180-gram vinyl. 

The album is something of an oddity, to the extent that Rypdal seems to be experimenting with a number of different styles on the album. He had been playing with a local beat group, The Vanguards, but by 1967, had joined The Dream, who aimed more psychedelic sound. The son of a composer and orchestra leader, he was also drawn to more ambitious compositions, and had worked with George Russell, who was based in Scandinavia at that time. 

He was accompanied by the cream of the local jazz scene, including a thirteen-piece horn section, which featured tenor saxophonist and arranger, Knut Riisnaes, and Jan Garbarek, and drummer Jon Christensen. 

Opening track Dead Man’s Tale is a far cry from Rypdal’s later work on ECM, and sounds as though it was influenced by the likes of Procol Harum and Jethro Tull, both of which emerged around this time. It opens with Rypdal’s chiming guitar and Christian Reim on Hammond organ, but also features Rypdal’s singing and his breathy, Ian Anderson-like flute solo. It sounds very much of it’s time, but the recording is superb.

Wes, as the title suggests, is a tribute to the great Wes Montgomery. The tune has a big band arrangement, reminiscent of his work with Oliver Nelson, the horn section arranged by Knut Riisnaes. Rypdal takes the first solo, followed by Garbarek, whose playing was more influenced by Coltrane at this time.

Winter Serenade closes Side A, and is different again – this time more free-form jazz. The tune is in three parts; Falling Snow features Rypdal on guitar and Reim on piano, the music gradually building into Snow Storm, which features Garbarek’s soaring tenor saxophone, before the storm fades into the third part, Melting Snow. Winter Serenade is perhaps closer to what I was expecting, given Rypdal’s later recordings.

The title track opens Side B, and was composed by the British beat group, The Gladiators. It’s given a slightly psychedelic, big band makeover here, and the results are fantastic. It features an earthy solo by Garbarek, followed by a more fiery guitar solo by Rypdal, and is one of the highlights of the album.

Sonority is altogether more restrained, and much closer in style to Rypdal’s early recordings for ECM, both solo and with Garbarek, whilst A Feeling Of Harmony, which brings the album to a close, is almost Latin in style, not dissimilar to the early recordings by Gilberto Gil.

Taken as a whole, Bleak House is probably too much of a mixed bag, reflecting Rypdal’s myriad early influences, but also his uncertainty as to which direction he should be heading. The jazz influences are there, for sure, but Rypdal was struggling to escape the shadow of psychedelia, which lend the album a somewhat dated feel when compared with his early ECM recordings.

It’s worth noting that the quality of the recording is superb, and was remastered from the original tapes. The vinyl pressing is also excellent, with high quality virgin vinyl, and limited surface noise. For Rypdal fans, then, this is an essential release. Lovers of Scandinavian jazz may find it too rock-oriented, and would perhaps be better off searching for those early ECM recordings, which are well worth tracking down. Afric Pepperbird and Sart (1971), both of which feature Rypdal and Christensen, are very good. Solstice (1975), which features Ralph Towner, rather than Rypdal, is even better.

Credits:

Terje Rypdal: guitar, flute, vocals

Knut Riisnæs: tenor saxophone

Jan Garbarek: tenor saxophone, flute, bells

Carl Magnus Neumann: alto saxophone, flute

Hans Knudsen: baritone saxophone

Frode Thingnæs: trombone

Kjell Haugen: trombone

Tore Nilsen: trombone

Øivind Westby: trumpet

Ditlef Eckhoff: trumpet

Jarl Johansen: trumpet

Kåre Furuholmen: trumpet

Frode Thingnæs: tuba

Frøydis Ree Hauge: horn

Odd Ulleberg: horn 

Terje Venaas: bass

Jon Christensen: drums

Tom Karlsen: drums

Christian Reim: piano, organ

Label: Round 2