Vejslev / Brunbjerg / Elhöj - 2025 - It's a Riot!

(41:57; In the Flesh Record Company)






















Track list:
1. Monk's Dream 4:46
2. Ask Me Now 3:57
3. Ricochet 3:29
4. In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning 5:54
5. Smog Eyes 1:15
6. Goodbye 3:06
7. Tricotism 2:19
8. Lennie's Pennies 3:14
9. We See 2:55
10. Well You Needn't 4:21
11. A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing 6:42

Line-up:
Kristoffer Vejslev - guitars
Martin Brunbjerg Rasmussen - bass
Rasmus Elhøj Jensen - drums
with:
Rudi Mahall - bass clarinet
Hannes Bennich - alto saxophone
Simon Toldam - piano


Danish threesome Vejslev, Brunbjerg  and Elhöj are described as a trio that have been playing together for quite a few years, in a manner described as an intense collaboration. They haven't had the chance to document this however, but in 2025 they hit the recording studio to create their debut album "It's a Riot!", which was released in the late fall of 2025 through the label In the Flesh Record Company.

What this trio and their guest musicians have to offer us here is an album of instrumental jazz compositions. Mainly cover versions, but with a few originals appearing here and there throughout. The band also cover a fair bit of ground here, in terms of sound, approach, style as well as execution.

Those fond of upbeat, positive and joyful instrumental jazz with a vibrant quality and whimsical tendencies will certainly get their fill of just that, with opening 'Monk's Dream' and the track 'Lennie's Pennies' both being prime examples of this variety of jazz. Some of which did give me associations to the kind of jazz often used in soundtracks for movies placed in the 1950's and early 1960's. 

On the other side of the scale we have minimalist, groove oriented escapades such as the equally impressive 'Tricotism', and quite a few creations where the band hits out on a more challenging tangent in part or in full. This isn't an album I'd describe as belonging to the more expressive and challenging side of jazz as such, but rather a production where the threesome and their guests opts to include certain elements and instrument details with a challenging spirit. With a little bit of a minimalist aligned approach and execution being in play at times.

We get plenty of elegant, captivating and smooth guitar licks and leads throughout this album experience, and a bassist and a drummer that know how to set up and execute a captivating groove, a compelling drive or a careful but efficient foundation. The guest musicians contribute with elegant drive, captivating movements and the occasional more expressive and challenging displays with clarinet (Mahall) and saxophone  (Bennich), while pianist Toldam is a bit more careful with his contributions.

If you enjoy instrumental jazz with a little bit more of a vintage sounding quality to it, and appreciate a band that can be joyful, uplifting and borderline whimsical as well as careful introverted and melancholic oriented and spice matters up a bit with subtle or  more overt inclusions of challenging and expressive nuances and details, then I suspect you will find the title of this album to be rather appropriate indeed.

Olav M. Björnsen, February 2026

Links:
https://kristoffervejslev.com/projects/vejslev-brunbjerg-elh-j
https://www.itfrc.com/

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