Elise Einarsdottir was 42 when she joined forces with her husband, upright bassist Olle Steinholtz, and recorded Sketches of Roses, a rewarding and intimate collection of mostly piano/bass duets. Whether she's interpreting Dave Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way" and Miles Davis' "Nardis" or embracing her own material, the crystalline pianist plays in a consistently lyrical fashion that illustrates her enthusiasm for both Bill Evans and Brubeck. Thoughtful introspection is the rule on this often impressionistic CD, even when the Swedish improviser goes from post-bop to more of an avant-garde outlook on the eerie title song. Released by the Stockholm-based Touche Music, Sketches of Roses made it to American retail as an import. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
