*** 1/2 NIELS-HENNING ORSTED PEDERSEN TRIO, “Friends Forever,” Milestone

Pedersen’s full name may be a tongue-twister, but there’s nothing confusing about his music, which has been a clear, articulate example of world-class bass playing since he arrived on the jazz scene in the ‘60s. At a time when the rapid emergence of rock music was obliging many American jazzmen to go to Europe for regular employment, their encounter with Orsted Pedersen was a bonus, an unexpected beacon of musical excellence. As a result, while he was still in his 20s, he was working with an astonishing array of American stars, among them Bud Powell, Don Byas, Roland Kirk, Ben Webster and, especially, Dexter Gordon--a close musical associate for a decade.

However, Orsted Pederson has frequently recorded with his own groups, in particularly fruitful fashion with Belgian guitarist Philip Catherine on SteepleChase. But he has been far more visible as a highly valued super-sideman, most notably as a recurring regular with the Oscar Peterson trio, and in a wide variety of recordings on the Pablo label.

In this continually appealing outing, Orsted Pedersen finds a perfect role for himself in a trio that also includes pianist Renee Rosnes and drummer Jonas Johansen. The loose, easygoing arrangements of standards such as “Someday My Prince Will Come,” “The Days of Wine and Roses” and “The Shadow of Your Smile” allow plenty of opportunities for Orsted Pedersen to stretch out with his solos. And he makes the most of them. A rapid-fire technician, he never spins out his lines for virtuosic effect alone, using sudden bursts of notes as structural units in choruses that have implicit compositional qualities.

Less obvious than his soloing, but in some respects even more impressive, are his accompaniments. Over and over, his choice of notes enriches the harmonies of the songs, and the placement of his lines--always done with meticulous precision--brings an almost Baroque-like contrapuntal quality to the music. Subtle, understated but masterful, it is the work of a jazzman whose talent is unbounded.

Rosnes, a Canadian who is increasingly coming into her own as a performer, plays superbly, her touch--especially on the ballads--filled with a rare respect for the most elusive qualities of tone and accent. And Johansen, a young Danish drummer, clearly knows when to bang and when to lay back with soft, supportive brush strokes.

The result from this collection of players is a prime example of the fashion in which jazz has become a truly international art form.--Don Heckman

*

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four stars (excellent).