The Thing
The Thing is a jazz trio from Stockholm, Sweden, active since 2000. It consists of Mats Gustafsson on saxophones, Ingebrigt Håker Flaten on double bass, and Paal Nilssen-Love on drums. The group releases music through The Thing Records and works within jazz and blues, with a strong emphasis on free music and improvisation.
Formation and style
The trio forms in February 2000 during a series of concerts in Stockholm, alongside a recording of Don Cherry compositions. Its approach draws on German, British and American traditions of free music. The group’s instrumentation is saxophones, double bass and drums.
Repertoire and recordings
After its early Don Cherry material, the band builds a repertoire from a wide range of outside sources. These include music associated with James Blood Ulmer, Frank Lowe, PJ Harvey, the White Stripes, Lightning Bolt and Joe McPhee. McPhee also appears on the album She Knows... from 2001. The release Garage appears on the Smalltown Superjazzz label in 2004, and an EP of live material with Joe McPhee and Cato Salsa Experience appears in 2005, along with a live album.
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