NISSE SANDSTRÖM GROUP – Öppet Ett (Caprice, 2023; rec. 1965-67)

  
Instrumental
International relevance: ***

”Öppet” (=”open”) is a series of releases curated by free jazz saxophonist and standard-bearer Mats Gustafsson and archivist Roger Bergner, with the ambition to unearth previously unreleased, high quality recordings from the Swedish jazz and avantgarde underground 1965-1975. The series was initiated in 2023 with the very hands-on help from Caprice Records who release the albums in vinyl-only editions and for streaming.

The first volume was by Nisse Sandström, a saxophonist whose 1972 album ”The Painter” in 1972 has become an awarded Swedish jazz classic. Sandström's been more of a sideman, working with numerous performers over the years including Björn J:son Lindh, bassists Red Mitchell and Sture Nordin, Cornelis Vreeswijk, Bernt Rosengren, Monica Törnell and American born piano player Horace Parlan. ”Öppet ett” is notable for several reasons. The recordings predates ”The Painter” with several years, and it features musicians then largely unknown but soon-to-be progg heavyweights: Erik Dahlbäck (Fläsket Brinner), the aforementioned J:son Lindh, and Bella Linnarsson (Baby Grandmothers, Kebnekajse).

The two tracks on the 'A' side predate the time range of this blog, being taped in 1965 and 1966. Nevertheless, they're prime examples of early Swedish free jazz; a must-hear for anyone interested in its regional development. But side 2's ”Bränn fläsket” is something out of the ordinary. Not only does it fit here because of the 1967 recording date, it's a massive 21+ minutes chunk of free-thinking, explorative, explosive free jazz that transcends its own genre. Thanks to Erik Dahlbäck's hard-hitting drumming, it's a visionary, ahead-of-its-time mergence of avant jazz and rock music unheard of in Sweden in 1967. It's the 1960s equivalent to what Mats Gustafsson himself would do some 35 years later with The Thing and Fire! Orchestra. With Linnarsson's electric bass, J:son Lindh's tape treatments and what have you, it almost predicts noise rock in a time when nobody could imagine such a thing (except perhaps for two or three New Yorkers around Angus MacLise).

”Bränn fläsket” was recorded by Swedish Radio for broadcast in early autumn 1967. Had it actually been released back then, it's not unlikely it would have changed the course and sped up the evolution of experimental rock as we know it today. And not only does it significantly move the historical markers, it's bloody great too with the energy of a nuclear power plant!

”Öppet ett” is a top level release, a must from every perspective.

Full album playlist 

DON CHERRY – The Swedish albums 1967-1977

It's really quite strange that it took me 13 years of progg blogging before Don Cherry got his own post here. He's emblematic to what I think is the true spirit of the blog, a place where all kinds of music meet as long as it has a mind of its own. And perhaps that's why I overlooked his inclusion for so long: he's so huge and obvious that maybe I thought he was here already. Well, he actually is if only in small portions as he appears on albums by Bengt Berger and Bitter Funeral Beer Band.

Born in Oklahoma City in 1936 with music running in the family, he made his mark on jazz already in the late 1950s when teaming up with Ornette Coleman for a long series of albums including milestone releases ”The Shape Of Jazz To Come” and ”Free Jazz”. He also performed with John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, George Russell, Albert Ayler, Charlie Haden – he passed gracefully through jazz history and jazz history passed smoothly through him and his trumpet. He even played percussion on Allen Ginsburg's album of William Blake interpretations, collaborated with Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki and Terry Riley, and co-wrote the score for Alejandro Jodorowsky's surrealist movie ”The Holy Mountain”. There's also a famous 1976 recording of Lou Reed live at The Roxy in Los Angeles with Don Cherry sitting in. He often did that – I know several Swedish musicians of different kinds who can tell stories of how they suddenly heard a beautiful sound on stage and when they turned around, there was Don Cherry with his pocket trumpet joining in, uninvited but welcome.

He spent time in Europe in general and Scandinavia in particular. There are for instance a set of great recordings from the Montmartre jazz club in Copenhagen 1966 released on ESP Disk in the late 00s. But it's his recordings with Swedish musicians that stand out from his European years. Cherry's playing was usually great no matter who he performed with, but it was here in Sweden he really found a home both musically and physically. He moved permanently to Sweden in the late 60s, bought a defunct schoolhouse i Tågarp in the beautiful Österlen region of the southern county of Skåne with his wife Monica ”Moki” Cherry. Moki was a textile designer; her works were as colourful and striking as her husband's music and graced several of Don's album covers. They had several children involved in music, with Eagle-Eye Cherry being the best known. Don's stepdaughter Neneh Cherry has also had an interesting and multifaceted career in music.

The house in Tågarp became something of a centre for friends and musicians, and the place where Don Cherry's Organic Music Society shaped and developed, a concept that to all intents and purposes was the forerunner to what would later be known as 'world music', only freer and more open.

Outpourings of Don Cherry's Swedish years weren't that many to begin with, but there's been an upsurge of archival recordings from this period, especially after Cherry's untimely death at 58 in 1995. I have included every album recorded in Sweden and/or with Swedish musicians between 1967 and 1977, except for those where only Moki Cherry appears usually on tamboura. That's not to dismiss her efforts but because I consider her and Don a unit. Also, it shouldn't surprise anyone that I consider Maffy Falay and Okay Temiz Swedish musicians too even though they techncially were Turks. There are also recordings featuring Swedes prior to 1967, such as ”Psycology” [sic!] with domestic free jazz pioneer Bengt ”Frippe” Nordström and released on his own Bird Notes label in 1963 (an album that interestingly enough also features drummer Bosse Skoglund on one track). A George Russell live document from Beethoven Hall in Stuttgart 1965 has both Don Cherry and Bertil Lövgren on trumpets, but that too is excluded due to the early date.

Movement Incorporated (Anagram, 2005; rec. 1967)
Instrumental
International relevance: ***

Don Cherry used to hold workshops and music classes at ABF, the labour movement's education centre, and this disc was recorded at one of their locales in July 1967. Old friend from years back Frippe Nordström appears along with Leif Wennerström and Okay Temiz on drums, Maffy Falay on trumpet and flute, Tommy Koverhult on tenor sax and Bernt Rosengren on tenor sax and flute, plus American trombonist Brian Trentham. I'm not sure how official this release actually is. Anagram had a few interesting discs out (including a great one by Gilbert Holmström). The sound quality is nevertheles a good mono recording and once it gathers momeutum, the recording is an excellent example of spontaneous collective composing. ”Suite 3” and ”Surprise Surprise” particularly point to the future with their clear Oriental/Arabic influence. Not easy to find these days – I suppose it only had a small run and the label is now definct, but it's well worth looking for.

 

Brotherhood Suite (Flash Music, 1997; rec. 1968-1971)

released as Don Cherry with Bernt Rosengren Group

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

Recorded at various Stockholm locations during the course of four years with roughly the same group as on ”Movement Incorporated”, this is one of my favourite Don Cherry releases. Not only am I a fan of Bernt Rosengren in general, but him in combination with Cherry is usually explosive matter. The sound quality varies due to the different sources, but it's a varied and vivid selection. Some continues along the lines of ”Movement Incorporated” with free jamming while other tracks are composed and focused. If you don't mind the fidelity fluctuations (nothing sounds bad) and the stylistic span, this is a wonderful compilation of an excellent composite of musicians.

 

Live In Stockholm (Caprice, 2013; rec. 1968/1971)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

Much like a latecoming expansion pack to the Flash Music disc above, these recordings originate from 1968 and 1971, with the half-hour long ”Another Dome Session” being recorded the same night as ”In A Geodetic Dome” on ”Brotherhood Suite”. The remainder of this release is dedicated to the two-part ”ABF Suite” with the second portion being based on Turkish folk melodies brought in by Maffy Falay. Again a collaboration between Cherry and Rosengren's group, but it's a bit different than the two albums above. Here you can sense the direction in which the trumpeter was heading in the future, getting closer to a more dissolved, genre bending style, the musical crossroad of the entire world. As a study of his development it's certainly rewarding, but it doesn't quite have the same impact as other Rosengren/Cherry documents.

 

The Summer House Sessions (Blank Forms Editions, 2021; rec. 1968)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

This is an absolutely fantastic album that perfectly melds Cherry's free jazz power with his search for a universal expression! It was recorded in the summer home of Göran Freese, sound engineer and musician (appearing on, for instance, G.L.Unit's ”Orangutang”), and mixes members from the ”Live In Stockholm” band with musicians from his international ensemble New York Total Music Company. The idea was to have them jam and rehearse freely without any intention of making an album, but thankfully the tapes rolled and the recordings were finally presented to the world in 2021. The undemanding setting made for some stunning performances that rank among the finest ever from Cherry and his cohort. The music flows freely between traditions, and Turkish hand drummer Bülent Ateş really adds an extra dimension. Essential!

 

Eternal Rhythm (MPS, 1969; rec. 1968)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

Another international grouping comprising American, German, Norweigan and French musicians, plus Swedes Bernt Rosengren and Eje Thelin, recorded live at the Berlin Jazz Festival in November 1968. It's a long suite notable for utilizing a large number of flutes and an array of Gamelan percussion. A giant step in Cherry's career, and the first album to properly predict the 'organic music' concept. With names like Albert Mangelsdorff and Sonny Sharrock it's clear from the start that the music is grounded in free jazz, but when adding the unusual (for jazz) timbres of the metal instruments, it becomes something else, something wider in scope and emotion. The thing is that is doesn't sound at all contrived suggesting that Don Cherry had a very clear idea worked out in his head what he wanted to achieve by using them. AllMusic's Brian Olewnick called ”Eternal Rhythm” ”required listening” and I am the first to agree.

 

Live Ankara (Sonet, 1978; rec.1969)

Instrumental

International relevance: **

Having already acquainted Maffy Falay and Okay Temiz, Don Cherry was no stranger to Turkish music, and in late 1969 he got to play at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara with Temiz, saxophonist Irfan Sümer and bassist Selçuk Sun. Despite relying heavily on Turkish traditional material, it's a fairly straightforward set revealing strong traces of Cherry's past with Ornette Coleman (especially with two Ornette compositions in the set). It's not very exciting, and the dull sound also hampers the experience a bit.

 

Music For A Turkish Theatre (Caz Plak, 2024; rec. 1970)

released as Don Cherry/Okay Temiz

Instrumental, wordless vocals

International relevance: **

Another Turkish recording, this time with an interesting backstory. The music was commissioned for a play written by James Baldwin who was living in Turkey off and on between 1961 and 1971 having fled racism and homophobia in the U.S., and produced by theatre owner Engin Cezzar. Dealing with gay relationships in an Istanbul prison, the play was controversial and banned by the Turkish government in after 30,000 people had already seen in it in two months. The music has its moments, but it's by no means essential. It's value lies mainly in the story behind it. Released physically on vinyl only, it came with four different covers, all in limited editions and now sold out.

 

Blue Lake (BYG, 1974; rec. 1971)

Instrumental, wordless vocals, other languages

International relevance: **'

A trio date from Paris, 1971 with Cherry, Temiz and bassist Johnny Dyani. I don't like it at all. First of all, I don't think Temiz and Dyani is a good team (see thisreview), and second of all I don't like Don Cherry's vocals and there's a lot of that on ”Blue Lake”. The playing is messy and sometimes simply directionless, it just goes on forever without getting anywhere. The album was originally released only in Japan 1974 but has for no good reason been reissued several times since.

 

Orient (BYG, 1973; rec. 1971)

Instrumental, wordless vocals, other languages

International relevance: ***

A sister album to ”Blue Lake” released the year before, with half of the double album having more tracks from the same Cherry/Dyani/Temiz date, meaning they also sound about the same. The two albums were reissued together on CD in 2003.

 

Organic Music Society (Caprice, 1973; rec. 1971-1972)

Instrumental, English vocals, other languages, wordless vocals

International relevance: ***

The album that most of all epitomizes Don Cherry's 'organic music' theories. It's intriguing and annoying, messy and flourishing, intense and flaccid all at once. There are field recordings and studio takes, focused performances and half-baked ideas in a raffle of sound and it's sometimes hard to make sense of it. That is the album's weakness but also its strength, and what you think of it probably very much depends on your current mood. I personally would have preferred the double album slimmed down to a single disc, keeping side 2 and 3 (despite Cherry's vocals) and perhaps keep the rather captivating ”North Brazilian Ceremonial Hymn” as an opening track. It would have narrowed the scope of the organic music idiom and by that missed the point, but it would have made a more cohesive album.

A nice list of performers though: Tommy Koverhult, Christer Bothén, dynamic duo Temiz & Falay, and – most importantly – Bengt Berger. Engineered by Göran Freese, the summer house owner who initiated the majestic 1968 recordings.

 

Organic Music Theatre: Festival de Jazz de Chateauvallon 1972 

 (Blank Forms Editions, 2021, rec. 1972)

released as Don Cherry's New Researches featuring Nana Vasconcelos
Instrumental, English vocals, other languages, wordless vocals
International relevance: ***

The organic music brought to the stage for the very first time. With Christer Bothén and various tag along friends from Sweden plus Brazilian percussionist and berimbau player Nana Vasconcelos performing as Don Cherry's New Researches in the Southern France. Much more focused than ”Organic Music Society” although Cherry's vocals are still a major snag.

 

Eternal Now (Sonet, 1974)

Instrumental, other languages

International relevance: ***

With the organic music concept being worked on for a couple of years, the essence of it had finally crystallized on 1974's ”Eternal Now”. A mellow and spiritually gripping album that stands head and shoulders above any previous attempts in the style. Maybe because not every Tom, Dick and Harry creaks and clangs and babble their way into the music – with a personnel of only five including Cherry himself, they can move in the same direction without any distraction from unnecessary outsiders. Especially as they're such a tight unit to begin with, with Cherry, Berger, Bothén and Rosengren at the core with Agneta Arnström only adding Tibetan bells to one track and ngoni (a West African string instrument) to another. ”Eternal Now” (a beautiful title!) oozes with midnight magic, it's like incense for the ears and enlightenment for the soul. Without a doubt one of Cherry's best 70s albums and one of Moki's best album cover works to boot.

 

Modern Art (Mellotronen, 2014; rec. 1977)

Instrumental, other languages

International relevance: ***

A live recording from The Museum Of Modern Art in Stockholm in early 1977. Per Tjernberg from Archimedes Badkar finally makes an appearance on a Don Cherry album – it seems just so appropriate. More unexpectedly, so does Jojje Wadenius who sounds a bit lost to begin with when on electric guitar but blends in better once he switches to the acoustic. (He returns to the electric towards the end and seem a bit more comfortable then.) It's a set heavy on Indian influences so it's surprising not seeing Bengt Berger here. I think he might have been a great staibilizer, because although the performance is rather pleasant, it's a bit trying and uncertain.

However, like I said earlier, Berger's and Cherry's collaboration continued later with Cherry being a vital part of the excellent Bitter Funeral Beer Band. A collaboration that extended beyond the time frame of the Swedish Progg Blog.

There are of course numerous of other Cherry albums without any Swedish connections, some of them less good but some of them among the best jazz music ever put to disc. Don Cherry was a true master, and as a Swede I feel honoured that he chose to live here for so long and also produce some of the finest music of his career while doing so. He was not only a real visionary, he was also a true genius.

Movement Incorporated no links found
Brotherhood Suite full album
Live In Stockholm full album playlsit 
The Summer House Sessions full album playlist       
Eternal Rhythm full album playlist   
Live Ankara full album  
Music For A Turkish Theatre full album playlist (Bandcamp)
Orient / Blue Lake full album playlist
Organic Music Society full album playlist  
Organic Music Theatre full album playlist (Bandcamp) 
Eternal Now full album
Modern Art full album playlist     

There's also an hour-long Don Cherry documentary called "Det är inte min musik" (="it's not my music") made  by Swedish Televison in 1978 that gives some further insight into his life in Sweden. You can watch it here. 

A SEVEN INCH SPECIAL, VOL. 7: Psych & such

LUCAS – Antisocial Season / Hymn To The Sun (Polar, 1967)
English vocals
International relevance: ***

The 'A' side is a slightly New Orleans tinged piano based track and not very good, but ”Hymn To The Sun” is nothing less than excellent hazy, UK styled psychedelia. The track is a real masterpiece unfairly overlooked even by connoisseurs, and impressively enough an original group composition. Never very expensive, but if people knew just how great it is, the prices would surely go up quickly. Piano player and singer Janne ”Lucas” Persson later joined Pugh Rogefeldt and Ola Magnell on the ”Ett steg till” tour which was documented on a double album in 1975. 

SLEEPSTONES – As The Night Comes To See / I Put A Spell On You (Columbia, 1967)

English vocals
International relevance: **

The Sleepstones were Jan Schaffer's first proper band, going back to as early as 1962. They changed their name several times before settling for the name under which they recorded five singles between 1964 and 1967, with ”As The Night Comes To See” being their last. The 'A' side is a rather elegant, harmony-laiden moody ballad which is quite nice but with a cheesy chorus. The flipside is the old Screamin' Jay Hawkins standard, covered over and over again by uncountable bands over the years, most famously by Creedence Clearwater Revival. The Sleepstones go for an organ heavy arrangement that breathes Swedish folk jazz. A dynamic and driven take with vocalist Ted Åström at his most soulful. Not the best version I've heard, but definitely a very credible perfomance of an international stature.
 

 

ATTRACTIONS – Let Love Come Between Us / 5th February 1968 (Columbia, 1968)

English vocals, instrumental
International relevance: **

It's not quite true that The Sleepstones only made five singles, because The Attractions were basically the same band and released two further 45s in 1968. ”Let Love Come Between Us” is a mediocre sunshine pop track with a steady beat, nothing special. But the 'B' side draws the lines of "I Put A Spell On You" further with a six and a half minutes instrumental workout in a psychy, progressive jazz vein, rich with organ and a proof that Schaffer was a force to be reckoned with already early on. 

CHEERS – Love Me Two Times / Somebody To Love (Decca, 1968)
English vocals
International relevance: **

A Stockholm band that was active a couple of years before they had this 45 out with two Summer of Love covers. ”Love Me Two Times” is a competent but redundant take on The Doors while Jefferson Airplane's ”Somebody To Love” gets an inspired and pretty intense treatment. Both tracks have been comped, ”Somebody To Love” even twice, on ”Who Will Buy These Wonderful Evils, Vol. III” and RPM's excellent survey of Swedish garage rock ”Svenska Shakers”.

MEMBERS BLUES BAND – One Night / P.S. Elic (Jacks Beat, 1968)
English vocals
International relevance: ***

Swedish band on a Danish label. ”One Night” is a completely pointless cover of the Elvis track while the flipside is one of the most fantastic psych tracks ever recorded in Sweden. Perhaps even in the world. Overflowing with backwards sounds and treated vocals, it could have been a highlight on Freak Scene's ”Psychedelic Psoul” album. An absolute masterpiece in perfect tune with the times. Thankfully included on ”Who Will Buy These Wonderful Evils, Vol. III” as originals are incredibly rare, changing hands for up to 500 dollars.

ZOOM – Coloured Rain / Ticket To Ride (RCA Victor, 1968)
English vocals
International relevance: **

When Members Blues Band broke up, two of their members went on to form Zoom. Again they had to approach a neighbouring country to secure a one-single deal, this time Norway. ”Coloured Rain” is the well-known Traffic number, here extended to twice its original length by a decidedly psychy and meritorious organ solo. The Beatles' ”Ticket To Ride” is slowed down to Vanilla Fudge tempo but the rendition is lightweight. 

ARDY THE PAINTER OF LOVE – Pregnant Rainbows For Colourblind Dreamers (Sonet, 1970)
English vocals, spoken word
International relevance: **

This ”painter of love's” real name was Ardy Strüwer and the same guy who made the ”Öronpaj” album in 1973 with actor, comedian and painter Lasse Åberg. Åberg's here too on bells and maracas. The idiotically titled ”Pregnant Rainbows For Colourblind Dreamers” was released in a single-sided edition of only 99 copies for an art exhibition, but has since been revived for the 4CD box set regrettably named after the single. Rare indeed, but also complete rubbish. It's basically an improvised drums and flute duet with Ardy babbling nonsense on top. 

AUNT SALLY – Shakin' All Over / She Left Me (Green Light, 1970)

English vocals

International relevance: **

One of the singles on MNW's early subsidiary Green Light. The cover of Johnny Kidd chestnut ”Shakin' All Over” isn't anything special but the 'B' side, the original composition ”She Left Me” is quite a cool track with psychedelic overtones and a bass line slightly reminiscent of Red Crayola/Krayola's ”Hurricane Fighter Plane”. Not bad at all! Aunt Sally was a band from Lund in the south of Sweden and they had a four track EP ”Slabb” out on another label prior to this.

BJÖRN & BENNY – She's My Kind Of Girl / Inga Theme (Polar, 1970)
English vocals
International relevance: ***

I bet you didn't see this one coming! Yes, it is Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, soon to be mega stars as 50% of ABBA. Let me say that not all Swedes like ABBA, and I'm the living proof of that. I hate their plastic sound, I hate their vocals, I hate (most) of their smarmy crap songs. But this is something else. Well, ”She's My Kind Of Girl” may not be the greatest song ever written, it's a OK in a in a Tages happy-go-lucky style, but once you flip the single over, you get ”Inga Theme”. The two Bs wrote the songs for Joe Sarno's sexploitation movie ”The Seduction of Inga” which in itself is a spectacular fact. But what's more spectacular is that "Inga Theme" it's a great fuzz-laiden track with hypnotic psychedelic qualities! There's absolutely nothing in the entire ABBA clan ouvre sounding like this or being this good. You want hidden gems? You've got it!

CANDLE – In A Vision / Matthew, Little Man (Mallwax, 1971)

English vocals

International relevance: **

”In A Vision” is a light harmony pop track with baroque shadings while ”Matthew, Little Man” loses the baroque-ness. Nice and sweet, not very exciting but nevertheless included on ”Who Will Buy These Wonderful Evils, Vol. III”. Songwriter, singer and guitarist Håkan Bryngelson later became CEO of one of Sweden's biggest real estate companies.

DON CURTIS

Men Of Dakota / Riding (GP, 1970)

Red Indian Brothers / In The Corners (GP, 1971)

English vocals

International relevance: **

Born as Kurt Arne Norman, then changing his surname to Nordlander but performing as Don Curtis since his 7” debut in 1966. He released several singles in the 60s, and his final two in the early 70s, both reflecting his strong passion for Native Americans and their culture. Sometimes dressing up as one, he may seem like a silly Billy, but these two singles are in fact fine examples of a garage rock sound akin to Kim Fowley's best moments. ”Men Of Dakota” is great with an overheated arrangement, but the hard driving ”In The Corners” is possibly even better. ”Riding” unfortunately reveals Curtis's Elvis fixation – he even became an Elvis impersonator later in the 80s. A curious character with an illustrious history.

"Red Indian Brothers" and "In The Corners" were recorded with Scoopes, a band that had one single on their own in 1970. Both Curtis singles were released with several different colour sleeves. Signed copies seem common.

RAUNCHY – Flygmaskinen / Orminge Centrum (Scam, 1974)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: ***

A very obscure band from Stockholm with only this one single in their discography. ”Flygmaskinen” is really lovely, moody, low-key track with flanged vocals creating a hazy, slightly disoriented atmosphere. Maybe a strike of luck, because the 'B' side is just a fast rock song with very little going for it. ”Flygmaskinen” was, thankfully, salvaged from obscurity on ”Who Will Buy These Wonderful Evils, Vol. 6” making it a lot easier to find. 

Members Blues Band full single playlist
Lucas:
Antisocial Season / Hymn To The Sun
Sleepstones:
As The Night Comes To See / I Put A Spell On You
Attractions:
Let Love Come Between Us / 5th February 1968 
Cheers:
Love Me Two Times / Somebody To Love
Zoom:
Coloured Rain / Ticket To Ride 
Ardy The Painter Of Love:
Pregnant Rainbows For Colourblind Dreamers
Aunt Sally:
Shakin' All Over / She Left Me
Björn & Benny:
She's My Kind Of Girl / Inga Theme
Candle:
In A Vision / Matthew, Little Man
Don Curtis:
Men Of Dakota / Riding / Red Indian Brothers / In The Corners
Raunchy:
Flygmaskinen / Orminge Centrum

A SEVEN INCH SPECIAL, VOL. 6: Pop progg

 MIKAEL RAMEL – Förvånansvärt (Knäppupp, EP 1967)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Mikael Ramel's first proper solo release is an EP with four tracks released while he was still in Steampacket. His melodic style was already there albeit a little but undeveloped at this early stage. The best song is ”Bara ett par dar”, an acoustic version of a Steampacket track released the same year. A very charming EP but not on the level of his later masterpieces.

 

ROWING GAMBLERS
A World Of Roses / My Very Special Dream (Parlophone, 1969)
A Present For Tonight / Taken For A Ride (Toniton, 1970)
English vocals
International relevance: **

A Stockholm band that already had three singles out before ”A World Of Roses”. They were really a commercial pop band covering Neil Sedaka and a bad Yardbirds song but got a wee bit psychedelic on their last two 45s. ”A World Of Roses” is a Göran Lagerberg composition not released by Tages and a rather good track at that with some nice guitar work. Both tracks on their final outing are Rowing Gamblers originals, and especially ”Taken For A Ride” has obvious psychedelic overtones with a drowsy beat and Paul McCartney styled bass. 

SOMMARFILOSOFERNA – På en sommardag / På en sommarnatt (Mercury, 1970)
Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

”På en sommardag” is a Swedish version of Mungo Jerry's ”In The Summertime”, a song I've tried to escape for my entire life. The slightly jazzy ”På en sommarnatt” is better but still not good. The single is mainly notable for having Björn Töpel and Göran Lagerberg from Tages, along with Björn J:son Lindh. and Jan Bandel on banjo, surprisingly enough. Sommarfilosoferna were a project put together by producer Anders "Henkan" Henriksson.

KENT-MORGANS – Balladen om Kalle / Brother Hood Feeling (Marilla, 1971)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

One of the strangest inclusions in the ”The Encyclopedia Of Swedish Progressive Music” as Kent-Morgans were nothing but a typical Swedish dance band in the vein of Sven-Ingvars. Tobias Peterson calls ”Brother Hood Feeling” ”basement psychedelia” but I don't know where he got that from. Bengt Dahlberg's fuzz guitar isn't enough. Dahlberg was later in Acke & Gurra.

TOM ZACHARIAS – Josephine / Roller (Green Light, 1971)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

This was years before his infamous ”Belinda” album, and there are no traces of the pornographic lyrics of that album here. Instead, this is debile folk pop and decrepit rock. Interesting only because of the Green Light label, MNW's early 70s subsidiary. 

XTRA – Vatten / Kaffepannan (CBS, 1971)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

The first of two Xtra 45s, a band best known for their album ”Oh! 10-15” from which the 'A' side was taken. ”Kaffepannan” is the interesting one here as it's a non-album track. It's not essential though, an instrumental sounding like a theme song to an imaginary drama documentary on royal life in the Middle Ages.

HASSE PERMBO
Soliga minnen / Nu piskar regnet (Playback, 1972)
Balladen om Karl Hubert / Satir i moll (Playback, 1973)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: */**

A singer/songwriter of sorts with peculiar lyrics. Something about him reminds of Kjell Höglund but without his talent for exact and well-phrased words. The second single is the better of the two thanks to ”Satir i moll” which is an entirely unexpected heavy track with an strange loop melody contrasting the lighter chorus. 

PERSONS BAND – Miljö-låt / När vi fått det för bra (Euphonic, 1973)
Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Only recording from this Tranås band on local label Euphonic. The vocal credits are split between the two songwriters Lennart Ljungdahl and Peter Ljungkvist. Both sides are rather poppy with apple-cheeked vocals but with OK guitar playing. Ljungdahl's ”Miljö-låt” is a little better. Both songs have a diluted political message. A privately released CDr of rehearsal recordings from 1973-1974 also exists.

JACONNE – Earth / Polisen (TOR, 1977)
Swedish vocals, English vocals
International relevance:

TOR was a commercial pop and dance band label, and Jaconne falls in the first category. ”Earth” reveals a light Beatles and E.L.O. influence. ”Polisen” has an irritating melody and lyrics against police violence. The odd thing about it all is that the trigger happy guitar player who sounds as if he believes he's in a heavy metal band which he clearly isn't.

Mikael Ramel full EP
Sommarfilosoferna full single playlist
Kent-Morgans full single playlist
Persons Band full single playlist
Rowing Gamblers: 
A World Of Roses 
My Very Special Dream
A Present For Tonig
Taken For A Ride
Tom Zacharias:
Josephine
Roller
Xtra:
Vatten
Kaffepannan
Hasse Permbo:
Soliga minnen
Nu piskar regnet
Balladen om Karl Hubert
Satir i moll
Jaconne:
Earth
Polisten

THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM: PROGGLÅDAN

You've probably noticed I mention ”Progglådan” (="the progg box") every now and then. It might be a good idea to explain what it is for those who might not really know.

”Progglådan” is a 40 CD (!!!) box set released by the Swedish Radio in 2013, compiling tons of recordings mainly from their weekly Tonkraft show that ran for 11 years beginning in 1972. The show's forerunner was Midnight Hour in the late 60s. ”Progglådan” came in a slipcase containing four smaller boxes with 10 discs each housed in cardboard sleeves. The four smaller boxes are thematically organized. Box A has heavy rock and blues, box B features instrumental and experimental bands, original proggers and punk, box C is folk progg and singer/songwriters, and box D collects melodic rock. A fantastic testament to Swedish progg with the best recordings from Swedish Radio's vast archive of special sessions – or is it?

In reality, it's not as great as it looks at a first glance and nowhere near as great as it could have been. Compiled by Coste Apetrea who said he worked on it for three years as the project constantly grew. It's hard to believe he put three years into it. Had he said a month, I would take his word for it. It's so shoddily done that not only is it disrespectful to the people who forked out quite a sum for it when it was available, but also to the artists involved.

Several names are misspelt which is a big no-no for a credible presentation – don't you think so too, Cotse Arpetea? The liner notes are so littered with completely moronic spelling mistakes that it sometimes looks as if Cesto Paterea just hammered down his fingers on the computer keyboard at random. Did you know your computer has a spellcheck function? It's impossible to read them without getting furious at the carelessness, and some ”words” take some time to figure out what they're actually supposed to be. I know for a fact that at least one person offered his proof reading services for free before the the whole shebang went to print, but Swedish Radio ignored him and obviously thought that this exercise in aleatoric typing would suffice. (I've done some proof reading myself over the years, and I promise you I've never seen anything like this.) I once wrote a Facebook comment when some gala celebrating ”Progglådan” was to be held, complaining about the impetuous writing and I just got the response ”it's supposed to be like that”. Talk about adding insult to injury. I don't know if it was Secto Trepaea who replied, but NO, IT'S NOT FUCKING SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THAT! Don't behave like a complete idiot who doesn't give a shit, and don't be proud of it! Thanks for your consideration.

The recording dates are too often wrong and insufficient. I thought Swedish Radio kept pedantic notes on session details, and if they do, then Tesco Repatae must have ignored them in favour of his own guessing game. I once did extensive research on the correct dates as far as possible, but I've unfortunately lost the document since and I just can't be arsed to do it all over again. Besides, it's not my bloody job to correct some ignorant fucker's deficient work. I don't get paid for it but I'm sure he did.

The editing of the recorded material is sometimes haphazard too. Several of the shows have songs cut from the original sessions and I can live with that even if its irritating, but sometimes a spoken intro to a missing song is left intact. It's like a glitch in the matrix. OK, it's a lot of material to listen through, but if you've worked on it for three years, then you should bloody well have the time to check if it's correct. Right, Tesco Eptarea? Otherwise, work on it one more year to make sure it's right.

 
You can always question the selection done for a compilation depending on your own taste, but some of the choices here are downright dubious. I know that Pugh Rogefeldt was asked to be included, but he failed to reply before deadline why the first disc is wasted on Cosmic Ray, a modern band recorded in Silence's studio in 2012 – not a Swedish Radio recording from the time ”Progglådan” covers, 1967-1985. I suspect this rushed decision has something to with Ocest Ptaaree being the producer of the Cosmic Ray recording... You see, he had a peculiar way of sneaking quite a few of his own recordings on here – De Gladas Kapell, Jukka Tolonen Band, Samla Mammas Manna (appear twice), Ramlösa Kvällar, and Cosmic Rays. It might not look much for a 40 CD box set, but no other musician is that extensively represented. And he never once spelled his own name wrong in the credits...

I don't know how royalties from the sales were shared, but I know – again for a fact – that less known bands weren't paid. And I know at least one musician who shall remain nameless was genuinely pissed off with the crappy presentation of the whole thing, telling me something to the effect of ”'Progglådan' will remain a kind of final statement but we'll have to live with this inferior release forever.' Exactly. This was a one-shot thing, and even though Eosct Aaeeprt at one point opened for a second volume, I doubt that will ever happen. This, I suspect, is what we'll get. A chance blown to produce something excellent and honorable for everyone involved. Including the fans, buyers and listeners.

This is why I've never reviewed ”Progglådan” in detail and never will. I don't think it deserves it. I will continue to mention individual shows in dedicated reviews when appropriate but I won't go through it disc by disc because it pisses me off every time I even look at it on my shelf. If you want to know what artists are included, check Discogs. Some of it is very good music, take your pick and check it on Youtube. Or borrow it from an unlucky friend who bought it and copy the stuff you like. Get it whichever way you prefer to get your stuff. It's your decision. Do what you will. Those responsible for it cared bugger all when it was compiled, so why would anyone care now what you do? If somebody objects, just tell them to send their written complaints to Octse Paertea, in two copies.

PHILEMON ARTHUR AND THE DUNG – Skisser över 1914 års badmössor (Silence, MC 1987; rec. 1967-72) / Får jag spy i ditt paraply? (Silence, 2002; rec. 1967-72)

 

Skisser över 1914 års bandmössor (Silence, MC, 1987; rec. 1967-72)

Får jag spy i ditt paraply?: The Pest Of Philemon Arthur And The Dung (Silence, 2002; rec. 1967-72)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

Philemon Arthur And The Dung's 1972 album is a stone cold classic of absurdist, nonsensical, anti-fi craziness that killed the Swedish Grammy Awards for 15 years. Ironically but probably perfectly planned, once they revived the Awards in 1987, the first new Philemon Arthur release appeared as a riposte. ”Skisser över 1914 års badmössor” (= ”sketches of 1914 swimming caps” -- don't ask!) was a cassette-only release that came in a sardine can. To play the tape, you had to open it. A great fuck you to mint condition collectors! (Although some probably bought two, one to play and to keep for posterity. Or they bought one and never played it. You know how collectors are.)

The tape contained 24 previously unreleased nuggets from the secret archives of the equally secret group, recorded around the same time as their LP. (Yes, the true identities of the Philemon Arthur And The Dung members is still unknown to all but a handful people.) It simply was more of the same meaning two brothers (or were they friends?) strumming a guitar sometimes tuned, banging away on pots and pans, and hollering out lyrics about flyswatters, braces, dromedaries and soup bowls. Nothing strange about that.

Thing is, you can never get too much of the same. This world always needs more Philemon Arthur And The Dung. Which is why “Får jag spy i ditt paraply” (=”may I puke in your umbrella?”), subtitled “The Pest Of Philemon Arthur And The Dung” was just as welcome as the archival collection before it. But here the discography a wee bit complicated.

“Får jag spy i ditt paraply?” was actually a complementary CD release to “Musikens historia del 1 & 2” (=”the history of music, parts 1 & 2) released ten years earlier, in 1992. “Musikens historia” in turn was a re-release of the original album with selections from the cassette added as bonus tracks. Due to popular demand, “Får jag spy i ditt paraply?” gathered the remaining tracks from the tape plus 19 more previously unreleased tracks from the original golden days. To uncomplicate things a bit: if you get “Musikens historia del 1 & 2” and “Får jag spy i ditt paraply?” you'll have a complete collection of all Philemon Arthur's released material in two convenient CDs. And believe me, you need it. At least if you're anything like me. It helps understanding the strange lyrics, but the unhinged zaniness of Philemon Arthur's music comes through loud and clear (or unclear) no matter what.

Actually, there is one more Philemon Arthur track out there, found a bonus 12" that came with the 2023 vinyl reissue of the original album. The single has Swedish art punk band Bob Hund doing a Philemon song on one side and Philemon Arthur doing a Bob Hund song on the other. But that is an afterthought, a curious modern day postscript that doesn't count.

Instead of messing about with the tracklists trying to re-create the running order of the original cassette, the links below are the two CD's as they come.

Musikens historia del 1 & 2 full album playlist
Får jag spy i ditt paraply full album playlist

THE DEEJAYS – Haze (Hep House, 1967)

  
English vocals
International relevance: *

Mentioned in the postscript of ”The Encyclopedia Of Swedish Progressive Music”, which is the only reason why I feature them here. But unless you're a die-hard fan of mid 60s beat music, you could pass on this album – if it wasn't for the final track. ”Striped Dreams Checked Fear” is marvellous slice of top level Euro psych. A better way to check it out however is through volume one of the ”Who Will Buy These Wonderful Evils” series.

The Deejays were in fact a British band active in Sweden, and they had another album out the year before, plus numerous singles between 1964 and 1968. They had a few more decent tracks, but none can compete with ”Striped Dreams Checked Fear”.

Full album
or go straight to "Striped Dreams Checked Fear".
There's also an extended version of it. 

ÅKE SANDIN – Förlorad i toner (Subliminal Sounds, 2002; rec. 1965-70)

 Swedish vocals
International relevance: -

I don't have many rules for this blog, but one unwritten law is to include all artists mentioned in Tobias Peterson's ”The Encyclopedia Of Swedish Progressive Music”. That includes the 100 artists mentioned as ”suggested further listening”. Some inclusions in the book, especially among the extra 100, are puzzling. Sometimes I wonder what Peterson's selection criteria was.

That certainly goes for Åke Sandin. True he was a solitary original, recording his weird songs with idiosyncratic vocals and strange lyrics and releasing them himself. But the musical style was a remnant from the popular songs of the second world war and after. His songs, including those from his sole album ”Rariteter i kokäkta konvolut” with an album cover made of cloth and released in 1968, fit the Incredibly Strange Music tag. I can appreciate such myself as it's often so weird and off that you sort of have to learn to listen anew. And yes, I'm somehow fascinated by Sandin, but progg it is not. Not even with my otherwise generous definition of progg. So this post is merely to fulfill my own blog law.

Subliminal Sounds released "Förlorad i toner" in 2002 which collects everything Sandin recorded between 1965 and 1970.

Full album playlist

THE OUTSIDERS – Inside Outsiders (Mellotronen, 2024; rec. 1965-69)

  
English vocals, instrumental
International relevance: **

The Outsiders only had three 45s released in 1967 and 1968, all an different labels, but they were enough to cement their lasting reputation of being one of Sweden's loudest and rowdiest mod/garage/freakbeat bands. True they were, at their best, a combo that would give most other outfits a run for their money, and that includes Namelosers and Lea Riders Group. No wonder The Outsiders became one of Jimi Hendrix's favourite bands.

Given their slim output, it wasn't obvious they'd be honoured with a a full length compilation, but the guys at Mellotronen managed to dig up a number of previously unreleased recordings for the 2024 limited edition archival collection ”Inside Outsiders”. It is short though, not even a full 30 minutes, and only about half of it is relevant to this blog. I've decided to present it in its entirety anyway.

The core of the album is obviously the three singles ”Don't Fight It/From Four Until Late”, ”So You're My Sister's Boyfriend/Kinda Dead” and ”On My Magic Carpet/Inside Of Me”. ”Don't Fight It” is an OK mod groover with nods to The Small Faces and their peers, while ”From Four Until Late” sounds more like a silly leftover from the beat era and definitely old hat in 1967, even by Swedish standards. ”So You're My Sister's Boyfriend” follows along those lines, a real ”meh!” in The Outsiders' minimal catalogue. However, this stupid vaguely music hall inspired dud is balanced against their first true victory on disc, the flipside ”Kinda Dead”. It shows that Hendrix's love for the band was mutual – ”Kinda Dead” falls somewhere between ”Hey Joe”, ”Foxy Lady” and ”The Wind Cries Mary”. It's in moderate tempo with a distinct bass line, backing vocals hovering like ghosts in the background, and a confidently sneering guitar solo.

But it's the third and final 45 that is the prime proof of The Outsiders' potential. Both ”On My Magic Carpet” and ”Inside Of Me” rank with the best UK freakbeat singles of the era. Two true classics that showed such great promise for the future. Had The Outsiders only kept going instead of calling it quits in 1969, they'd easily had beaten Mecki Mark Men in their own game.

A trip to London meant gigs at The Marquee and The Speakeasy, but a promised contract with Mercury Records that would have led to a Brazilian tour fell through when bassist Sten ”Plutten” Larsson didn't want to go. When lead vocalist Thomas Hermelin then left the band, British singer Roye Albrighton joined instead, and with some further line-up changes, the band kept going for a little while before eventually breaking up entirely in 1969. (Albrighton later joined fellow exile Brits in German band Nektar.)

”Son Of A Gun”, recorded live in early 1969, opens ”Inside Outsiders” and shows just how far the band had gotten from their humble beginnings in 1965. A heavy, guitar driven progressive blues track clocking in on almost five and a half minutes, it's very different to the three home recordings from 1965 also featured here, presenting The Outsiders as a rather shaky instrumental surf rock combo. ”The Cruel Sea”, ”Pipeline” and ”Foot Tapper” are interesting to hear as a comparison, but they certainly drag the album down. Together with the short total playing time, they suggest that maybe there wasn't too much in the vaults to choose from.

The remaining two 1966 studio recordings are closer to the 'real' Outsiders. ”Dancing In The Streets” is a passable Motown tribute, while ”Milk Cow Blues” is a youthfully revved-up cover of The Kinks' cover of said song. Not great but still more convincing than what many other Swedish beat bands produced around the same time.

As you can tell, ”Inside Outsiders” doesn't work as a cohesive album. (The closing interview snippet with Noel Redding/Jimi Hendrix may be only 11 seconds long, but is still an unnessary addition only adding to the scattered feel.) It's an overview of a band in constant search of a style they found only shortly before they gave up. The real shame is they never got a proper album together in 1968/69, but chances are almost zero there are any more studio recordings left unreleased after Mellotronen's trawl through the surviving tapes. Unless a miracle happens, like someone finding a good or at least decent quality tape of a full late period gig, this is what we have and this is what we'll get. And given the shocking collectors prices for the original singles, it's also the only way to get the three really good Outsiders tracks to an affordable sum.

Full album playlist