Carsten Dahl, Reuben Rogers & Gregory Hutchinson - Into the Storm

Recorded on a cold January night in 2013 in Copenhagen, Into the Storm brings together renowned Danish pianist Carsten Dahl with one of the most formidable rhythm sections in modern jazz, American bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Gregory Hutchinson. Across nine tracks consisting of a mix of standards and original compositions, the trio delivers a masterclass in trust, shared pulse and fearless improvisation.

The concert was part of a series of one-off encounters pairing leading American jazz musicians with Danish artists, an approach rooted in Copenhagen’s unique jazz history. From 1959 onward, the legendary Jazzhus Montmartre became a second home to figures such as Dexter Gordon, Kenny Drew, Ben Webster, Stan Getz, Oscar Pettiford, and Johnny Griffin. Their presence helped shape generations of Danish jazz musicians and forged a lasting bond between American jazz and Copenhagen.

Carsten Dahl stands as one of the most significant figures of the post-Montmartre generation. A central voice in Danish and European jazz, Dahl combines profound respect for the tradition with a restless, exploratory spirit. His playing is marked by a highly dynamic touch, sudden shifts in density, and a willingness to let form emerge in the moment. Dahl’s musical upbringing under drummer Ed Thigpen, who settled in Copenhagen in 1972 and mentored many young Danish musicians, gave him deep roots in swing, form, and interaction.

Jazz history is defined by great rhythm teams, Ray Brown & Ed Thigpen, Ron Carter & Tony Williams, NHØP & Alex Riel among them. In our time, Reuben Rogers and Gregory Hutchinson stand firmly in that lineage. Rogers’ sound draws deeply from the Oscar Pettiford school: grounded, resonant and melodically rich. Hutchinson’s musical DNA was shaped through his work with Betty Carter and in Ray Brown’s trio. Together, they share a rare, almost telepathic connection and an elastic sense of time that lifts everything around them. On Into the Storm, their interplay doesn’t simply support the piano, it actively shapes the music’s direction.

Dahl moves constantly between control and abandon, shaping the music in real time with hard swing giving way to lyrical ballads, spontaneous structures and daring transitions. Throughout, his close musical dialogue with Rogers and Hutchinson reinforces the sense of discovery. The rhythm section’s deep groove and unshakeable internal time keep the music grounded, even at its most adventurous.

Captured in a single winter night in Copenhagen, Into the Storm displays Carsten Dahl’s unpredictable swing meeting the drive and authority of Rogers and Hutchinson. A perfect example of jazz as a living art form: rooted in tradition, shaped by risk, and realized through the rare trust shared between three musicians listening as deeply as they play.