June 2- 8, 2005

musicpicks

Torben Waldorff Quartet

jazz

Chances are the word "Scandimerican" doesn't appear in your dictionary, so it's questionable how helpful it would be to describe Torben Waldorff's music that way. Besides, he coined the term himself. The guitarist's mildly distorted tone and fusiony melodies are familiar enough on these shores (obviously Sweden's record stores are well-stocked with John Scofield), so perhaps it's the sense of patient listening that is the "Scandi" contribution. Waldorff makes such liberal use of quiet and space that at times it seems he's left the room midsolo. But when he does re-enter, whether with a single chord or a sudden flurry of notes, it is immediately obvious that his ears have been open to all surrounding sounds. Given the intuitive interplay Waldorff has displayed with other saxists, this new quartet with dexterous Brooklyn altoist Donny McCaslin should redefine what it means to be Scandimerican.

Fri., June 3, 9 p.m., $10, Chris' Jazz Cafe, 1421 Sansom St., 215-568-3131.

—Shaun Brady