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.

The Thing's self-titled debut of Don Cherry numbers, issued in 2000, was quickly followed the next year by their first collaborative work, She Knows..., with Joe McPhee, featuring free jazz standards by David Murray, Frank Lowe, and Norman Howard. She Knows... showed the group's keen interest in reworking other genres, and included a version of "To Bring You My Love," originally recorded by PJ Harvey. (Versions of tracks by the White Stripes, the Sonics, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have appeared on subsequent Thing releases). In 2004, they released the album Garage on Smalltown Superjazz, the subsidiary label of Smalltown Supersound, preceding releases of live EPs and the album Action Jazz, featuring covers of Ornette Coleman and Lightning Bolt, and original compositions. In 2012, the band released The Cherry Thing with vocalist Neneh Cherry (stepdaughter of Don Cherry), marking her first album in a leading role in 16 years.

The bandmembers then decided to start their own label, The Thing Records, to ensure that all money made went directly into the cost of recording and future projects. This enabled them to release the records Boot!, Mono, and the Viking EP, as well as Live, recorded with Thurston Moore. These offerings were followed up with a full-length cut over the first two days of June 2015. Entitled Shake, the album contained four new originals as well as covers of songs by Loop, Ornette Coleman, and Wyrd Visions (aka Colin Bergh). It was released at the end of October, three weeks after the Thing began a tour with James Blood Ulmer. The concert LP Baby Talk, which captured the group's 2015 set at the Molde International Jazz Festival, arrived in 2017. The Thing next issued the improvised Again in 2018. ~ James Pearce, Rovi