Thetris: Music by Helge Albin

For more than 25 years the alto saxophonist, composer, and arranger Helge Albin has been artistic director of one of Sweden’s most prominent jazz ensembles – Tolvan Big Band – a big band that has gained international acclaim under Helge’s leadership, and a band that he has composed several works for. With his enthusiasm, energy and creativity, he has managed to build up a dynamic ensemble with a highly flexible and innovative attitude towards different musical situations. The success the band has gained manifests itself distinctly in all the recordings and, not least, the concerts they have given during the years.

The commissioned work, Thetris, was composed in an attempt to create a successful meeting between jazz and art music. There were several difficulties to overcome; for instance the placing of the musicians, which meant that the jazz musicians, who were used to sitting closer together than classical musicians, couldn’t hear each other. Further; there was the rhythmic challenge for the classical musicians to play together with a big band and follow a conductor, at the same time; a challenge for the big band as well, which normally plays without a conductor. However, the result was brilliant, which an enchanted audience experienced in Malmö, when the work was last performed in the summer of 2007.