The Thing is a Norwegian/Swedish jazz band, consisting of Mats Gustafsson (saxophones), Ingebrigt Håker-Flaten (double bass), and Paal Nilssen-Love (drums). The trio was established in February 2000 during a series of concerts in Stockholm and a recording of Don Cherry-compositions that was released in Sweden by the label Crazy Wisdom/Universal. Melding German, British and American traditions of free music, their repertoire has later been collected from various sources such as James Blood Ulmer