Review samples for “Sagas of the Present”:

“Beyond the tapestry of the sound and compositional intelligence, he presents a fine example of resourceful arrangement-oriented thinking and what can be done in the format of an octet”
Downbeat Magazine

“The arrangements are sophisticated with beautiful sonorities and exquisitely shaped harmonies.” Svenska Dagbladet

“Knudsen borrows building blocks from the past and puts together a house that’s unmistakably his own.” Upsala Nya Tidning

“The members are some of the country’s most exciting musicians right now  (…) Peter Knudsen’s music is colourful and narrative and would fit perfectly in a film or theatre context. An album worth listening to.” LIRA Musikmagasin

“Themes as diverse as folk tales, rugged landscapes and the rich musical heritage of the Nordic region are all explored in the seven original compositions on this enjoyable recording. (…) Sagas Of The Present is an ambitious album for imaginative listeners” All About Jazz

“This hand-picked octet with younger Swedish musicians manage, both through their ensemble playing and their excellent solos, to convey Peter Knudsen’s both expressive and beautiful music.” Länstidningen

“Joy. There is music that, whether you like it or not, puts a smile on your face. This is such an album.” Folkbladet

“A joyous gathering where the horn players Emil Strandberg, Andreas Gidlund, Lisa Bodelius, Thomas Backman and Gustav Rådström accomplish magnificent results under Knudsen’s leadership, solistically but particularly in their warm and colourful ensemble playing.” Göteborgsposten

Review samples for “Peterson-Berger Revisited” (Swedish):

” En mycket bra skiva, med elegant improvisationsspel från Knudsen och Milder, och samtidigt en kul odyssé i Peterson-Bergers musikaliska värld med dess speciella tonspråk.”
Göteborgsposten

“Att jazza upp musiken måste sägas vara ett genidrag”
Dalademokraten

“En liten musikalisk pärla som doftar jämtländsk sommaräng och spritter av improviserad spelglädje.”
Nerikes Allehanda

“En uppfriskande öppen hyllning såväl till den store Peterson-Berger som till vackert spel.”
Folkbladet

“När saxofonisten Joakim Milder smeker fram melodier från Frösöblomster omväxlande med tenor och sopransax får musiken en air av kontemplation. (…) Det varsamma närmandet till originalet inger respekt.” DIG Jazz

“Det är både uppfriskande och uppiggande att höra kända favoriter som “Lawn Tennis” och “Vid Frösö Kyrka” bli rejält upparbetade och rytmiska, där det drillande pianot svarar den hesa saxen i lekfulla löpningar. (…) Med rätt marknadsföring har den här skivan potential att bli en riktig storsäljare, för det är kvalitet rätt igenom.”
Östersundsposten

“Det märks att den skicklige pianisten Peter Knudsen trängt in i PB:s musik. (…) Hans improvisationer är finstämda men ändå tillräckligt respektlösa för att göra dem intressanta. Tillsammans med sina medmusikanter så utvecklar han musiken och plockar fram andra sidor hos PB.”
Länstidningen

Review samples for “Impressions – a tribute to Debussy and Ravel”

Knudsen’s crystalline tone and liquid phrasing are perfectly complemented by the resonant double bass of Fredrik Nilsson and the coloristic drumming of Daniel Olsson.” Jazziz (USA) April ’09.

“Music of rare lyrical quality (…) this CD is to be enjoyed by both the classical listener as well as the jazz lover!” Nordische Musik (Germany), 4/5 ’09.

“Possessed of a solid technique, the Swedish pianist seems to sit solidly in the tradition of someone like Bobo Stenson. (…) What’s truly nice about this disc is that the trio truly uses the motivic material from the classical source material as the basis for improvisation, rather than stating the themes and then going off in a different direction.” Jazzreview.com (USA), 17/3 ’09.

“For those who like these classics, Bill Evans, and why not Keith Jarrett, there is much to enjoy here.”
Jazzrytmit (Finland), March ’09.

“An imagination-appealing web of notated and improvised.” OrkesterJournalen (Sweden), 20/2 ’09.

“Together they have created a piece of art.” Lira Music Magazine, Sweden (“Lira Likes”), 12/2 ’09.

“Peter Knudsen Trio plays astounding, and the sound quality is a pure pleasure. (…) entire themes are transferred to a jazz trio format, and one must say ‘hats off’ for doing it in such a talented way, with such musical and technical capacity .” Politiken (Denmark), 4/2 ’09.

“Exciting and challenging playing that brings out a new dimension in the music, yet preserving all the beauty of the originals at the same time.” Upsala Nya Tidning (Sweden), 11/1 ’09.

“Peter Knudsen knows how to utilise all of the sound possibilities of the piano trio in the melodic improvisations. (…) The result is in its way extravagant and boundlessly beautiful when the trio in their exquisite and refined interpretations allow a sort of Nordic melancholy to sweep in over the French Impressionist composers (…) this is chamber jazz of the very best kind.” Länstidningen (Sweden), 18/12 ’08.

“In a playful and inventive manner does the trio transform several well-known pieces with an absolutely exquisite result.” Östersundsposten (Sweden), 10/12 ’08.

“Thoroughly arranged trio interpretations of the music of Ravel and Debussy. (…) Knudsen follows Ravel’s themes in order to develop them successively through improvisation.” Svenska Dagbladet (Sweden), 3/12 ’08