Viktoria Tolstoy - Stealing Moments

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2024
Time: 44:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 102,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:27) 1. A Love Song
(4:43) 2. Good and Proper End
(4:07) 3. Wherever You're Going
(4:23) 4. Hands Off
(4:34) 5. Summer Kind of Love
(4:32) 6. I Don't Wanna Lose You
(4:49) 7. License to Love
(3:51) 8. What Should I Do
(6:16) 9. Synchronicity
(4:35) 10. Stealing Moments

For me, the album that stands out and allowed me to discover the music of Viktoria Tolstoy was her beautiful album “Letters to Herbie“, released in 2011. Her previous album “Stations” from 2019 only added to Viktoria’s musical excellence over time.

With a beautiful vocal technique and a selection of tracks from musicians and singers well-known to those who listen to Bayou Blue Radio, including Nils Landgren, Iro Rantala, Esbjörn Svensson, Ida Sand, Lars Danielsson, Caeclie Norby, etc., Viktoria adeptly appropriates each track with great intelligence. It’s an album characterized by its gentle and remarkably interpreted style.

Talking about this album so long before its release might surprise you, but the reason is simple: we receive so many albums that it’s challenging to keep up with the latest releases. With this album set to be released on March 1st and February already filled with other releases, the only way for us to talk about it is now.

“When you sing, the sun rises,” as Pat Metheny once told Viktoria Tolstoy. The common thread across all the tracks on “Stealing Moments” is her powerful, crystal-clear voice, coupled with her temperament, where lightness and sparkling energy irresistibly coexist. Listeners will enjoy this music as much as she does, and she knows it. As she subtly reformulates the words of the album title into an implicit invitation: “Let me steal a little bit of time to listen.”

Surrounded by remarkable musicians: Joel Lyssarides on piano & keys, Krister Jonsson on guitar, Mattias Svensson on bass, Rasmus Kihlberg on drums & percussion, all skillfully highlighting Viktoria’s voice, make this album a very intimate experience. The finesse is not only in the voice but also in the musicians’ play. This album is so easy to listen to that one finds oneself almost frustrated at the end, wishing for two or three more tracks. So, you go back to the beginning and settle in even more comfortably.

What better way to celebrate the arrival of spring? Artists like Viktoria Tolstoy have contributed to the radiance of the ACT label, and we are delighted that she hasn’t fallen through the cracks like many other talented artists who have disappeared from the label over the years.

“Stealing Moments” is a very European album that will certainly be appreciated in the USA for its sincerity in its creative form. The editorial teams of Bayou Blue Radio and Paris-move have once again placed this beautiful album on the “must-have” pile. If you enjoy romantic and poetic albums, this one is for you! https://www.paris-move.com/reviews/viktoria-tolstoy-stealing-moments/

Stealing Moments

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Viktoria Tolstoy - Stations

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:28
Size: 116,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:19) 1. I Should Run
(4:30) 2. Stations
(4:36) 3. The Mind Is Free
(3:56) 4. Land of the Humble
(5:14) 5. Million Miles
(4:53) 6. The Streets of Berlin
(5:59) 7. Old Country
(3:57) 8. The Great City
(3:56) 9. Where the Road Ends
(4:07) 10. Poinciana
(4:56) 11. Here's to Life

Born in Sigtuna, Sweden in 1974, Viktoria Tolstoy has built a strong following mainly in Scandinavia and northern Europe. Her unconventional repertoire typically contains songs originating in these regions and particularly draws upon her Swedish homeland as well as her Russian heritage (she is the great great granddaughter of Leo Tolstoy). For some years she collaborated extensively in both performance and songwriting with pianist Esbjörn Svensson.

She has been recording since the early 1990s and on this, her 11th album, she continues with her chosen path, avoiding over-used songs, concentrating mainly on little heard and original material. Here, seven of the songs she sings fall into these categories, the others being Bob Dylan’s Million Miles, Nat Adderley’s The Old Country (lyrics by Curtis Lewis), a lively and engaging version of Nat Simon and Buddy Bernier’s Poinciana, and a gently moving performance of Phyllis Molinary and Arthur Butler’s Here’s To Life. Tolstoy’s vocal sound is clear and unforced and her interpretation of the lyrics and accompanying exposure of the central meaning is admirable. Her accompanists, well known in Sweden, are all top-flight musicians and provide appropriate and subtle backing to the singer’s warm interpretations of songs that are mostly unknown to the international audience.~ Bruce Crowther https://jazzjournal.co.uk/2020/02/05/viktoria-tolstoy-stations/

Stations

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Viktoria Tolstoy - Meet Me at the Movies

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:44
Size: 112,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:44)  1. Calling You
(5:31)  2. As Time Goes By
(3:56)  3. En Man (Marlowe's Theme)
(4:29)  4. Out Here on My Own
(3:56)  5. Why Should I Care
(3:14)  6. The Book of Love
(4:33)  7. Love Song for a Vampire
(3:48)  8. Kiss from a Rose
(4:49)  9. Angel
(5:30) 10. New World
(3:10) 11. Smile

The box office is not really in sight when Viktoria Tolstoy starts to sing. But everything is different on this CD. But this time, the Swede has selected film scores of well-known strips and dipped heavily into the jazz pot. The result is newly dressed and yetunadulterated classics. Sometimes it takes 20-30 bars, until one becomes aware: "Of course, that's it ..." Because often outweighs listening first, Exact-listening, sound pearl capturing. Tolstoy abducts, seduces and strokes gently, smiles mischievously and makes you listen with every tone where you otherwise stick to the picture on the big screen. Sure, it's the old songs and yet they sound so different from the movies - pearly, smoky, groovy. Modern and new. Together with Mattias Svensson (bass), Rasmus Kihlberg (drums) and Krister Jonsson (guitar), Tolstoy brings back a hundred-fold reproduced sound. A thousand-fold musical throats and ancient classics become crystal clear and subtly nuanced jazz. "As time goes by", "Dancer in the Dark", "Kiss from a rose" - Tolstoy presents it soft and smooth in one place, rough and handy on another. Glanzlichter puts in several songs Nils Landgren with his red trombone, who is also the producer of the CD. He cleans even the smallest song passages musically bright, makes it flash brightly and gives the film titles radiant sound accessories. In addition, Tolstoy has brought the Finnish pianist Iiro Rantala as a guest. He succeeds on the piano a leap in time: With a light finger, he drives out the kitsch from the well-known wise men, transforms the dusty into modern-jazzy. Melancholic gets intensity, soft feeling ends in sounds with verve and modernity. And Tolstoy shows together with their musicians: full orchestra and Hollywood bombast are not necessary for the classics. The small, almost sparse cast brings to light Tolstoy's clear voice and lively, jazzy interpretation, setting the musicians in particular passages great scene and convinces with a fine sound universe. Very nicely done! I think the cinemas in this country should once again arrange film music evenings. Viktoria Tolstoy and her musicians would be the right choice for a matinee. Until a cinema owner dares, the CD offers a 48-minute cinema experience of a special kind. ~ Sabine Meinert https://www.aboutjazz.de/2017/01/viktoria-tolstoy-meet-me-at-the-movies.html

Personnel:  Viktoria Tolstoy / vocals;  Krister Jonsson / guitars;  Mattias Svensson / electric & acoustic bass;  Rasmus Kihlberg / drums;  Iiro Rantala / piano;  Nils Landgren / trombone & vocals

Meet Me at the Movies

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Viktoria Tolstoy - Pictures Of Me

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:48
Size: 111.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[3:33] 1. Women Of Santiago
[3:40] 2. Have A Good Time
[4:12] 3. South
[3:47] 4. Te Amo Corazón
[3:20] 5. Two Sails
[3:26] 6. Kiss That Frog
[4:15] 7. Absentee
[3:34] 8. Strollin'
[4:28] 9. Don't Make Me Wait
[4:19] 10. Can't Help It
[3:28] 11. Green Little Butterfly
[3:09] 12. The Way Young Lovers Do
[3:32] 13. Old And Wise

Viktoria Tolstoy: vocals; Jacob Karlzon: piano, keyboards; Hans Andersson: acoustic bass; Peter Danemo: drums, percussion; Xavier Desandre Navarre: percussion; Tore Brunborg: saxophone, flute; Lars Danielsson: cello.

Since Norah Jones' gargantuan hit CD some years ago, the field of pop/jazz, folk/jazz, and R&B/jazz singers is getting crowded. Some may bemoan this jazz adulteration, but if it brings new listeners to the music it's all good. Charlie Parker was, after all, lambasted for ruining jazz with bebop. From Sweden comes 32 year-old Viktoria Tolstoy, whose career has been in full swing since 1994, but is only recently getting some much deserved attention outside her own country. Her surname should a ring a bell as she is the great, great, great granddaughter of renowned writer Leo.

Her breakout CD, White Russian (Blue Note, 1997), produced by Swedish piano phenom Esbjorn Svensson, garnered plenty of acclaim. Her follow-up, Blame It On My Youth (Blue Note, 2001), scored points with the jazz cognoscenti by including the warhorses "Midnight Sun, "Laura and "Baby Plays Around, along with the title track. Tolstoy switched to the German independent ACT label for a number of releases. Tolstoy admits, for Pictures Of Me, that her primary influences are less from the jazz pantheon and more from 1960s R&B singers, Chaka Khan in particular. She definitely wears her pop sensibilities on her sleeve. She demonstrates her lilting, airy, almost transparent voice on the opener, "Women Of Santiago, then proceeds with a dreamy and fun interpretation of Paul Simon's "Have A Good Time. Her exhilarating choruses on "South, written by her impressive pianist Jacob Karlzon, soar above her band mates. Prince's "Te Amo Corazon has a sly bossa feel, while Peter Gabriel's "Kiss That Frog kicks it with a funky, gospel-inflected piano groove, ending with church recalling tambourine bust-out. "Absentee, another Karlzon gem, is a floating, angelic, yearning ballad. In Tolstoy's hands "Strollin', again from Prince, becomes a sweet, seductive, and playful pop love ballad, with some impressive support from Karlzon. Seal's "Don't Make Me Wait becomes a blues and gospel-tinged craving for resolved love. Pictures Of Me winds down with a percussive, sweet and placid pop ballad, Can't Help It, "Green Little Butterfly, a pulsating, churning version of Van Morrison's "The Way Young Lovers Do and a gentle, piano-caressed "Old And Wise, with more beautiful playing/arranging from Karlzon. For those who can handle a pop/jazz approach, Pictures Of Me and Tolstoy's lovely, almost ethereal voice will be a rewarding experience. ~jEFF mONROE

Pictures Of Me

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Viktoria Tolstoy - Blame It On My Youth

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:55
Size: 109.7 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[4:46] 1. We'll Be Together Again
[4:34] 2. Midnight Sun
[6:02] 3. Laura
[3:40] 4. Baby Plays Around
[4:57] 5. The Saga Of Harrison Crabfeathers
[4:04] 6. Blame It On My Youth
[4:12] 7. Destiny
[5:56] 8. Peace
[4:44] 9. Summer Night
[4:56] 10. Angel Eyes

Drums, Timpani, Percussion – Rasmus Kihlberg; Electric Bass, Acoustic Bass – Mattias Svensson; Piano, Organ, Vibraphone, Marimba – Jacob Karlzon; Viola – Christopher Öhman (tracks: 2, 4, 10), Henrik Frendin (tracks: 2, 4, 10); Violin – David Björkman Celhag* (tracks: 2, 4, 10); Vocals – Viktoria Tolstoy.

The great-great-granddaughter of the Russian writer, Leo Tolstoy, singer Viktoria developed a small but dedicated following in Sweden in the early 90s. Her mid-90s recording debut, Smile, Love And Spice, for which she was praised by Swedish jazz musicians such as Arne Domnérus, Svante Thuresson and Putte Wickman, began attracting attention further afield. She gained even more attention and greater commercial success with 1996’s För Älskad, a pop album that hinted strongly at star potential. Signed to Blue Note Records, she released White Russian in 1997, most of the songs on which were written by Tolstoy in collaboration with pianist Esbjörn Svensson. Following on the release of this CD, Tolstoy toured Germany, accompanied by Svensson’s trio. The weight of the Blue Note contract helped her gain entry to the inner circles of jazz and she performed with Ray Brown, singing with him in 2000 in Geneva, Switzerland, McCoy Tyner, and others. Nevertheless, she concentrated for a while on strengthening her base in Sweden. Subsequent albums, especially those following a shift to ACT Records, demonstrate her development as a strong singer and how much she has learned from her association with able jazz musicians. In 1999 she appeared in London at the Swedish Jazz Extravaganza. The release of Shining On You early in 2004 was concurrent with a Rising Stars tour of Germany, Denmark, Austria and Switzerland. In addition to Scandinavian and northern European countries, Tolstoy has also appeared in Italy and Malaysia.

Blame It On My Youth

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Viktoria Tolstoy - White Russian

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:58
Size: 126,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:10)  1. Solitary
(3:39)  2. Venus & Mars
(4:12)  3. My Garden
(3:36)  4. I Do Care
(4:44)  5. Holy Water
(3:44)  6. Wonderful Life
(2:55)  7. Invisible Changes
(4:45)  8. High Heels
(3:47)  9. For Your Love
(5:36) 10. Casablanca
(4:59) 11. Spring
(5:38) 12. My Funny Valentine
(3:06) 13. Solitary

Viktoria Tolstoy is a highly celebrated and respected international jazz vocalist and her numerous success stories are all a product of this explosive natural supertalent. Viktoria has never taken a single singing class thus she also owns that little perfect difference that delivers her clearly strong and wonderfully untamed, vibrant sound. She'll capture the moment on any given occasion and will outperform herself from one grand evening to the next. Viktoria reaches all the way and her colorful, spontaneous persona will by all means make one forget to breathe for not only a short moment. Viktoria is already on the very top, yet once again aiming up. Viktoria has been saluted by media wherever she has landed since she first grabbed that microphone, and rest assure, this show will go on. We suggest you buckle up. Expect a lot. ~ http://www.viktoriatolstoy.com/biography.php

White Russian

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Viktoria Tolstoy - A Moment of Now

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:39
Size: 128,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:13)  1. A Moment of Now
(3:36)  2. Hand in My Pocket
(5:29)  3. Shadow and Light
(4:34)  4. Send One Your Love
(4:44)  5. I Can Let Go Now
(4:58)  6. Deep River
(5:05)  7. Red Rain
(4:26)  8. Against All Odds
(4:43)  9. Satisfied
(5:37) 10. I Concentrate On You
(4:24) 11. Scent of Snow
(3:44) 12. Northern Star

Though there are many beautiful singing voices in jazz today, Viktoria Tolstoy is one of a kind. A great melodramatist of jazz who is also bipolar, she makes happiness sound fragile and threatened, and bitterness sweet and enchanting. She has framed and perfected this art on a conceptual level since becoming an ACT artist in 2003, whether concentrating on material from Esbjörn Svensson – whose e.s.t. began to some extent as her accompanying trio – or, most recently, on Herbie Hancock, classical originals, Swedish standards or repertoire from Russia, the home of her ancestors.
Her latest album "A Moment Of Now" is her most frank recording yet – for one simple reason: "Jacob [Karlzon] and I are the concept this time," says Viktoria. Indeed it is an intimate album by the duo that focuses on their musical partnership. Karlzon has been Tolstoy's trusted companion on her band projects for almost 15 years now, his playing thrives on nuances, transitions, ambiguities – be they inspired by classics such as Grieg or hard rockers the likes of KoRn. It is a partnership that shows no signs of abating, despite Karlzon’s own highly successful trio that bears his name. "We each generally know in advance what the other is thinking and is going to do, without either of us having to say anything. It's almost a bit spooky," says Tolstoy of the intuitive understanding between the two.

Their style depends on melodies like a fish depends on water, and 14 of the best are brought together on "A Moment Of Now". As Tolstoy explains, they are "songs we've heard a lot in recent years, and that imposed themselves on us, but also some that were entirely new to us and were really a challenge”. This has resulted in a selection that sounds entirely coherent and as if created especially for these two musicians, even though its component parts come from the most diverse, stylistic, and often surprising backgrounds. From the classical "Apres Un Reve" by the Frenchman Gabriel Faurè, to Stevie Wonder's soul-pop "Send One Your Love" – on which Tolstoy invited Jocke Bergström, a new face in these climes, to share in a vocal duet that simply takes your breath away – to the jazzy "Shadow And Light" by Joe Zawinul. Thanks to Tolstoy's father, who suggested Phil Collins' "Against All Odds", the entire history of Genesis is represented, so to speak, with "Taking It All Too Hard" and Peter Gabriel's "Red Rain" also rebooted on the album.

Beyond global hits like these or Alanis Morissette's biggest success "Hand In My Pocket", the album also includes new discoveries like "Satisfied" from the almost-forgotten funk virtuoso Lewis Taylor and "Deep River" from Norwegian jazz saxophonist Benedik Hofseth. Among the pieces, three were originally instrumentals; namely "Apres Un Reve" (based on Faurè's "Apres Un Reve"), the Pat Metheny revamp "A Moment Of Now", and Karlzon's own composition "Scent Of Snow”. For these, Anna Alerstedt, the fantastic songwriter who Tolstoy discovered in 2008 for "My Russian Soul", once again pens profound and memorable lyrics.

The ease with which Viktoria Tolstoy and Jacob Karlzon can change the fundamental character of songs that otherwise seem to be set in stone is quite spectacular. The best example of this is their interpretation of Mark King's "Lessons In Love", transformed from a loud up-tempo song by the funk band Level 42 into a melancholy ballad. There’s also Cole Porter's classic "I Concentrate On You", which rings out as a Nordic anthem, and which in the middle section is even reminiscent of Esbjörn Svensson's "Love Is Real". But above all, what the songs all have in common is an overwhelming quietude and power. The weighty and complex sounds light and easy  just note the jumps and key changes on "Satisfied", where the subtle nuances and vocals change and shape the music.

There is a calmness and strength in the music that comes from experience and draws from the tried and trusted. For example, Nils Landgren returns as the producer, while the album was recorded with the familial team at Nilento Studios in Goteborg. "I felt safe and well looked after at every moment,” Tolstoy recalls, “Never change a winning team!". This is how a fascinating and completely unique moment in her and Karlzon's oeuvre was born and it is one that will remain.  http://www.actmusic.com/en/Artists/Viktoria-Tolstoy/A-Moment-Of-Now/A-Moment-Of-Now-CD/Produktinformation/%28release_id%29/20842

A Moment of Now

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