Erik Palmberg’s Faces Explores Collective Expression and Jazz Chemistry

Swedish trumpeter Erik Palmberg’s latest album, Faces, is a powerful exploration of collective expression. Featuring his quartet, the album moves effortlessly between tender, introspective moments and high-energy, surging passages, showcasing the band's dynamic range and exceptional chemistry.

Following the success of their 2021 album In Between, which earned the title of Sweden’s Jazz Album of the Year in Orkesterjournalen’s reader’s poll, Palmberg and his quartet have continued refining their craft both onstage and in the studio. This development is evident in Faces, where their electric interplay shines through every note.

A Fresh Wave of Inspiration

Palmberg’s vision for Faces took root after the band’s 2021 tour. The experience of countless performances and late-night conversations with his bandmates sparked a wave of fresh inspiration, leading to new compositions that reflect an evolved understanding of each musician’s unique voice. “This album is all about expression and creating a musical environment where we all can shine, both individually and as a group,” Palmberg explains. This vision has resulted in a record that thrives on musical interplay, where every band member plays a crucial role in shaping the sound.

The Quartet’s Telepathic Connection

The quartet, consisting of Erik Palmberg on trumpet and flugelhorn, Anton Dromberg on piano, Niklas Wennström on double bass, and Sebastian Voegler on drums, has been playing together since 2018. Over the years, they have developed an almost telepathic connection, one that drives the flow of Faces. Their performances feel both meticulous and spontaneous, with each member contributing not only as a player but as a co-architect of the sound.

In addition to Palmberg’s original compositions, the quartet reinterprets jazz standards such as Victor Schertzinger’s “I Remember You” and Alec Wilder’s “Moon And Sand.” These performances are imbued with emotional depth and nuance, showcasing the band’s ability to shape familiar material into something uniquely their own.

Organic Arranging and Collective Creativity

Palmberg describes the band’s arranging process as one that is deeply organic. Ideas are exchanged freely, reshaped collectively, and refined in real-time. “We’ve found a way of arranging music together that’s both effective and deeply creative,” he says. This creative process has evolved over the years, allowing the band to shape the final sound together, engaging each member’s unique voice.

Even in the quieter stretches of Faces, the music never loses its sense of movement. The seamless blending of improvisation and composition creates a dynamic, ever-shifting landscape. The result is an album with an effortless quality—a true testament to the years the quartet has spent honing their technical skills and, more importantly, their ability to listen, respond, and elevate one another's playing.

A Celebration of Collective Sound

Faces is more than just a showcase for Erik Palmberg’s expressive trumpet work; it’s a celebration of a quartet in perfect sync. With its melodic richness and organic, dynamic interplay, the album invites listeners into a living, breathing musical landscape—a testament to the power of collective sound.