TOMAS FORSSELL – Nya tider (Avanti, 1980)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

 

Tomas Forssell's second album kicks off with the excellent ”Snålblåst” – a 'listen up!” after his so-so debut album ”Ingenting står stilla”. ”Nya tider” can't quite live up to its initial promise but it's a better album than the previous one, with better songs and more vital performances. It almost sounds like a lost Nynningen album, only less dogmatic. No wonder – Forssell was a member of said band, as were Bernt Andersson, Nikke Ström and Torsten ”Totta” Näslund, all present on ”Nya tider”.

The album was recorded in 1979, except ”Snart ska en morgon gry” that was recorded in April 1977 – probably an outtake from ”Ingenting står stilla”.

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ZAMLA MAMMAZ MANNA – Familjesprickor (Silence, 1980)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

After the tour for Samla Mammas Manna's Greg FitzPatrick composed ”Snorungarnas symfoni” released in 1976, the band took a break which led to guitarist Coste Apetrea leaving the band. As influential as he was to Samla's style, it was inevitable that their sound would change with him out of the group. Eino Haapala filled the void, and as the band took on a more improvisational approach, they also changed the spelling of their name to Zamla Mammaz Manna. The first album released as such was the confused double set ”Schlagerns mystik/För äldre nybegynnare”, and it wasn't until 1980's ”Familjesprickor” that the new line-up had matured. By then, drummer Hans Bruniusson had left as well – he appears only briefly on ”Familjesprickor”, with Vilgot Hansson now mainly handling the drum sticks.

Zamla Mammaz Manna soon became a vital part of the Henry Cow initiated Rock in Opposition movement, and ”Familjesprickor” shares some features with for example Belgian RIO outfit Univers Zéro. While their music still had some of the energetic playfulness that made the earlier Samla Mammas Manna favourites among some, the album revealed new and darker undercurrents. The music sounds threatening even in its most cheerful moments, as if it leans towards the listener slightly from above, mouth half open as about to tell you something unsettling or simply chew you up.

If you ignore the fact that ”Familjesprickor” pretty much is a different band and count Samla, Zamla and later Von Zamla as one, the album comes in as second best after their brilliant eponymous 1971 debut album.

Full album playlist

BERITS HALSBAND – Berits Halsband (Forsaljud, 1975)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

 

First ever release on the eclectic Forsaljud label who released both folk rock and punk. This however is a fusion album with a basement feel and a certain level of non-detracting amateurishness that sets it apart from the typical genre efforts and makes it a lot more interesting than most of them. The whole album is strangely 'off' with a fair share of semi-psychedelic guitar improvising and krautish flute work. All four tracks are interesting in their own way, never boring, and the album is an unusually refreshing example of an often emotionally numb genre.

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PYRAMID – First Stone (Sfinx, 1978)

Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: ***

A hard rock band from Gothenburg with a horn section atypical to the genre which makes ”First Stone” fairly original despite the unimaginative songs. The lyrics concerns environmental issues, such as ”Sista chansen” that deals with consumerism and is also the album highlight. ”You and Me” is another OK track.

I understand why ”First Stone” comes with a pretty hefty price tag when offered for sale. After all, it's well performed and eloquent, especially for private release, but the music never quite sparks my enthusiasm.

Surprisingly enough, I find no evidence of any of the players having embarked on a career in music after this album except trombonist Ove Larsson who appears on several albums beyond ”First Stone”, and singer Christer Mentzer who showed up on a couple of heavy metal albums in the 80's.

Full album

MÅNS MOSSA – Måns Mossa (Great Music Production, 1979)

Swedish vocals, instrumental

International relevance: *

Very bad album of mainly mainstream rock. It also has a couple of disco touches, as expected from an album of the period. The reason why some people try to trick you into believing this is progg related or even progg is the last track ”Autron” but the closest it gets to progg is being instrumental. You can get much better albums of Swedish late 70's pop rock for a lot less than what some crooks want you to pay for this crap. Avoid!

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ARCHIMEDES BADKAR & AFRO 70 – Bado Kidogo (MNW, 1978)

Instrumental, other languages

International relevance: **

Considering Archimedes Badkar's serious interest in African music, it was a logical step to work with Tanzanian band Afro 70 for their final outing in 1978. Afro 70 was centered around singer and guitarist Patrick Balisidya, and the band's popularity in and around Tanzania grew from regular touring and a number of 45's released in the early 70's.

Archimedes Badkar trumpeter Tommy Adolfsson sheds some light on how the two bands got in touch with each other:

– It was me who met Patrick Balisidaya in Dar es Salaam in 1978. I was a student at Tomelilla Folkhögskola [Tomelilla is a small town in Skåne in the south of Sweden] then. Krister Malm at Rikskonserter [Concerts Sweden] gave me the names of [Tanzanian] musicians, including Afro 70. I met Patrick and played him Archimedes Badkar's ”Tre” that was brand new at the time and he got all excited by what he heard. It was in February 1978, and Patrick told me he was invited to Sweden by Krister Malm, and that he would come over. I told him he had to get in touch with Archimedes. Upon my return to Stockholm, they had already recorded most of the Archimedes Badkar/Afro 70 album. I overdubbed some trumpet parts, got in touch with Sweden/Tanzania Friendship Association who granted us money, and then we went on a fun tour around Sweden!

The two bands blend well, although it's somewhat more of an Afro 70 album thanks to Patrick Balisidiya's vocals (plus backing vocals from Dick Unga and Sophie Nzuki-Balisidiya) – hardly a problem.

”Kila Mtu” makes for a strong opening but the very best moment is the album's final 12+ minutes of Ghanaian funeral music, ”Darafo/Darkpen” with saxophonists Jörgen Adolfsson and Christer Bothén blowing hard and free before the rest of the band works up an irrestistable groove around Bengt Berger's xylophone and Per Tjernberg's percussion.

”Bado Kidogo” isn't as stylistically sprawling as Archimedes Badkar's previous efforts, but it's a very fine effort rounding off their all too short discography in a most honorable way.

Although being outside the time span of this blog, I'd really like to mention two Archimedes Badkar related albums. The first of them i ”Trancedance” (Organic Music/Urspår) by Christer Bothén featuring Bolon Bata, released in 1984, with a massive line-up of former Archimedes Badkar members such as Bengt Berger, Jörgen Adolfsson and Tommy Adolfsson and numerous other progg luminaries. A fantastic, hard swinging, afro inspired feast of an album. The second album was released in 1987 by Bengt Berger lead Bitter Funeral Beer Band's ”Praise Drumming” (Dragon) and features several of the people who made ”Trancedance”, and follows along the same lines albeit broadening the stylistic range even more. Another must for Archimedes Badkar fans.

Special thanks to Tommy Adolfsson for kindly taking the time to straighten some things out!

 

Full album playlist

EGBA – The 1970's albums

Sweden's leading fusion band of the 70's, founded in 1971 and active through the 80's, with one stray album released in 2004. Their name stands for Electronic Groove & Beat Academy but they're exclusively refered to by the acronym EGBA. The band was centered around trumpeter Ulf Adåker and had a changing line-up over the years, at one point or another including guitarist Jan Tolf, Göran Lagerberg, Amadu Jarr, pianist Harald Svensson (Resa, Häxmjölk), drummer Åke Eriksson (Wasa Express) and Per Tjernberg (Archimedes Badkar). A reformed EGBA is still performing.

EGBA (Grammofonverket, 1974)
Instrumental, other languages 

International relevance: ***

 

Their first album presented all of the band's characteristics, jazz fusion inspired by the likes of Miles Davis and Chick Corea, with funky grooves providing the foundation on the heavier tracks, with a distinct African influence to boot, most notably on”Gbinti”. ”Capsiloni”, written by drummer Claes Wang, veers towards Archimedes Badkar. ”Egba” is one of the finer examples of Swedish fusion thanks to its diversity and inspired playing. Great cover too.

Jungle-Jam (Sonet, 1976)

Instrumental, other languages

International relevance: ***

Egba's second album adds a bit of Latin music to the mix, and takes the funk one step further. The album unfortunately lacks a lot of the charm that makes their debut enjoyable. This is pretty much a standard funk fusion album with the urge to explore and discover largely substituted with technical precision.

Live at Montmartre (Sonet, 1977)

Instrumental, other languages

International relevance: ***

Better than ”Jungle-Jam”, probably because it was recorded live, with Egba feeding off the audience at the Montmartre jazz club in Copenhagen. Here they expanded their palette of styles to include reggae on ”Satobe”. Still not on par with their debut however.

Amigos Latinos (Sonet, 1978)
Instrumental, other languages 

International relevance: ***

 

Just like the title suggests this is an album with a stronger emphasis on Latin influences. It's also an excruciatingly dull album, with fusion meaning a mathematically precise show-off. I find it extremely hard to sit through without a steadily increasing level of irritation.

Bryter upp! (MNW, 1979)

Instrumental
International relevance: ***

A literal translation of the album title would be ”breaking up”, and while not exactly true, it saw Egba change to a smaller line-up and also a new label. The title also suggests the band was taking off in a new direction which is partly true as ”Bryter upp!” is less hysterical than ”Amigos Latinos”, a little more reflective. It still fails to satisfy unless you have a high tolerance for their kind of music.

”Progglådan” features two Egba tracks recorded for the Swedish Radio in 1972, and three more from a 1978 session.

I can see why they're highly regarded by fusion fans for their passion and skills making them much better than many of their peers, even if they're not to my liking.

Egba full album playlist
Jungle Jam full album playlist
Live at Montmartre full album playlist
Amigos Latinos full album playlist