Instrumental
International relevance: ***
It's impossible to imagine the 1970's
music movement/progg/jazz scene without Bengt Berger, the drummer and
percussionist who has added his magic touch to more albums than
anyone can count (possibly including himself). He plays as if he has
the whole world by his drum sticks and well, in a way he does. I
doubt there's anything from anywhere that he can't play, or at least
learn to play just by listening in. Much like saxophonist Roland
Keijser, his name is a hallmark of quality. If Berger's name's on an
album, it's something worth listening to.
”Bitter Funeral Beer” is different
insofar Berger's not actually the drummer here, the equally
exceptional Bo Skoglund is. Berger plays the Ghanaian xylophone
ko-gyil, an instrument he first used on Archimedes Badkar/Afro 70's
”Bado Kidogo” from 1978. The music on ”Bitter Funeral Beer”, recorded in 1981,
is based on actual Ghanaian funeral music and sounds like a natural
extension of what Archimedes Badkar did. Several ex-Archimedes
members also appear, such as Christer Bothén, Sigge Krantz, Tommy
Adolfsson, and Jörgen Adolfsson. Plus Thomas Mera Gartz, Anita Livstrand, and the formidable Don Cherry who
was living in Sweden at the time. The music is vibrating with
beautiful vitality, it's a marvellous album, quite possibly the best
on the ECM label post their most interesting early 70's period. This
album is truly the work of masters.
There are several albums released as
Bitter Funeral Beer Band. From 1987, there's the fabulous ”Praise
Drumming” on Dragon (reissued on CD in 2017). In recent years,
Bengt Berger has put out some Bitter Funeral Beer Band live
recordings from the 80's on his Country & Eastern imprint. ”Live
in Frankfurt 82” features several pieces from the ”Bitter Funeral
Beer” album but very different in sound and mood with help from
Indian sarod player Krishnamurti Sridhar. Also of interest in ”Live
in Nürnberg 84”, a fine sounding concert originally recorded by
Bavarian radio. Everything by Bitter Funeral Beer Band is essential
listening, especially to fans of Archimedes Badkar and Bolon Bata.
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