My apologies to The Great 48 and the Halls of Rock for not visiting the e-mail account where "G48" sent me the following report and tracks. Thanks, Great One.

The Great 48 wrote:

I realize this is not Jazz Town Hall, but allow me a moment. I discovered tonight [6/17] that my favorite contemporary jazz musician, the Swedish pianist Esbjorn Svensson, died over the weekend in a scuba diving accident outside Stockholm.

Svensson was the leader of the Esbjorn Svensson Trio (more commonly shortened to E.S.T.), whose albums I recommend unreservedly. A lyrical pianist in the style of Bill Evans, Vince Guaraldi, or Tommy Flanagan, Svensson was capable of spiky free improv or speedy bop-influenced showboating, but his natural style fell towards the melodic and stately. He didn't really go towards pretty for pretty's sake, but he understood that jazz doesn't have to be "difficult" to be good. He will be missed.

MP3s are from E.S.T.'s 2004 album Seven Days of Falling.

E.S.T., "Ballad for the Unborn"

E.S.T., "Why She Couldn't Come"

Previously, in the News!