The Thing

Scandinavian jazz trio the Thing consists of musicians Mats Gustafsson (saxophones), Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (double bass), and Paal Nilssen-Love (drums). Formed in 1999, they play music influenced by different traditions of free jazz derived from Germany, England, and America. Their own recordings range from The Thing (2000), based on the compositions of Don Cherry, to the wholly improvisational Again (2018). Also known for collaborations, both live and in the studio, they've performed and recorded with the likes of Joe McPhee, Ken Vandermark, and Thurston Moore, as well as Neneh Cherry and James Blood Ulmer.