Johan Leijonhufvud, Happy Farm (Sittel, 1996)

Johan Leijonhufvud, guitar

Jacob Karlzon, piano

Mattias Hjorth, bass

Kristofer Johansson, drums

Recorded April 16-19,1996

Bojus Studio, Kungälv, Sweden

Engineer: Äke Linton

It might seem unusual for a man born in Gothenburg, Sweden to be one of the world's finest jazz guitarists, without most of the world even noticing. Born in 1971, Johan Leijonhufvud began recording in 1995 with Swedish bands alongside trumpeter Anders Bergcrantz. Leijonhufvud's album, Speaks the Local Bebop (Sittel, 1995), includes Bergcrantz and vocalist Sofia Pettersson. 

I first encountered Leijonhufvud in the Penguin Guide, which gave Happy Farm four stars. Finding a copy of the CD was a years-long effort, but eventually I found an online merchant with a used copy for sale. 

Leijonhufvud's regular trio is expanded for Happy Farm, which includes pianist Jacob Karlzon. He is a splendid addition to the trio, working seamlessly with Leijonhufvud on the front line, soloing vigorously, and contributing one tune to the program - the modal "Backwoods." 

On "Backwoods," Karlzon's vamp sets the foundation for Leijonhufvud's solo, which begins hesitantly but then creates a sequence of powerful chords that build to a climax. Karlzon constructs his own solo the same way: beginning carefully before letting it all hang out. Add Kristofer Johansson's drum solo and you have the thoughtfully energetic highlight of the album.

Karlzon and the leader avoid the crowding of harmonic space common in bands using guitar and piano as lead instruments. In some cases, as on "Deuce," Karlzon plays block chords behind Leijonhufvud's fleet guitar work. The guitarist returns the favor when Karlzon solos. 

On the lovely "Kattis," the band introduces the stately ballad together before the solos progress. The leader's solo is gently romantic; Mattias Hjorth's bass solo is poignant; and Karlzon's swells are packed with emotion. Leijonhufvud's soft guitar returns to affirm the tribute to Kattis (short for Katarina), whom I imagine to be an object of the composer's affection.

There are three interesting covers on Happy Farm. Eddie Harris's "Boogie Woogie Bossa Nova" introduces a bit of soul jazz into the proceedings. I hear more boogie than bossa, but the hybrid works well overall. I first heard "Sno Peas," written by Phil Markowitz, on Bill Evans' Affinity album (Warner, 1979). Here, it becomes a vehicle for exquisite guitar, piano, and bass solos. I also love the theme played in unison by Leijonhufvud and Karlzon. Finally, Joe Henderson's "The Kicker" is a short post-bop romp highlighted by Johansson's drum solo.

Recently, Leijonhufvud's trio has recorded as JLT. Harlem Nocturne (Heartcore, 2021) and Nifty Fifty (Heartcore, 2023), along with the earlier Strange Man (Lovestreet, 2006) are all worth investigating. With the Internet, there are no longer the former barriers preventing American jazz guitar fans from hearing music released on European labels. Qobuz is currently my primary source for obtaining such music, replacing the need to ship physical CDs overseas. 

I could play my copy of Happy Farm to everyone I know, and I bet that no one could guess the artist. Discovering Johan Leijonhufvud's work is guaranteed to be a revelation to guitar lovers who never heard of him. 

Notes:

According to my Swedish friend Jonny, Leijonhufvud's name is pronounced LAY‑yon‑hoov‑vood. 

The photo of Johan Leijonhufvud is from 2006. 

The photo of Kristofer Johansson is from 2026.

The photo of Mattias Hjorth is from 2024, taken from the website of Lund University's Malmö Academy of Music where he serves as Lecturer in Jazz Ensemble & Double Bass.