MONICA NIELSEN & TOMMY KÖRBERG – ...med hjärtat fyllt av trots: Arbetarrörelsens kampsånger (A Disc, 1977)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Monica Nielsen was mainly a busy movie and television actor but as a singer, she was the perpetual co-artist. She only ever released one album of her own and that was back in 1966, with her other vocal participations including merely the odd single, appearances on various artists and duo albums with high profile performers. ”Med hjärtat fyllt av trots” is one of those, focused on Labours movement songs and recorded with Tommy Körberg. Now an internationally widely celebrated singer, but back in the day best known domestically for his early pop albums, Solar Plexus, and the reformed Made In Sweden.

Körberg isn't the only renowned musician here. On the contrary, the credits are littered with names like Janne Schaffer, Ulf Adåker, Egil Johansen, Björn J:son Lindh, Pekka Pohjola and Rune Gustafsson, and the arrangements were written by much beloved bassist, composer and former Jan Johansson cohort Georg Riedel. While this all points to a thoroughly executed project, we have to remember that the album was released by A Disc, the Social Democrats' imprint known to dampen any kind of artistic enthusiasm. Thus the album title meaning ”with a heart full of defiance” seems like impossible wishful thinking, and it is. It's all very well played, well sung and well arranged – in short, technically and musically impeccable – but if you're looking for any inspiration to defiantly fight the powers that be, this is not the place to go. Unless authorities can be fought with sleep, but I for one have never heard of any revolutionary naps. It ought to be wellknown to all by now that I don't ask for any fistwaving loudmouths, but a little more oomph hadn't hurt...

Motsträvigt och med hjärtat fyllt av trots / Arbetsmannen / Oss alla unga / Kom med oss kamrat / Vårt vapen heter solidaritet / Ingen rubbar oss / Arbetets söner / Signalen / Ett enat folk / Det unga gardet / Solidaritetssång / Internationalen

PIERRE STRÖM & FINN ZETTERHOLM – Första maj: 11 socialistiska sånger (YTF, 1973)

   

Swedish vocals
International relevance: *

Neither Pierre Ström nor Finn Zetterholm are strangers to this blog, but this is the only album they did together. Not that I mourn that fact, because I'm not a fan of any of them and this one double bill effort is more than enough.

The album title means ”First of May (11 Socialist Songs)”, and it's entirely dedicated to songs associated with Labour Day and the labour movement. And it sounds just like a political rally, with Ström & Zetterholm predictably opening with ”L'Internationale” before yelping their way through Swedish versions of Socialism's Greatest Hits like ”Bandiera Rossa”, ”The Partisan” and ”Warschawjanka” (one of the better songs in this field). Despite utilizing the talents of usual suspects Janne Schaffer, Göran Lagerberg, Jan Bandel and a handful of other experienced studio faithfuls, most of it sounds pretty much like any album of this ilk. "Warschawjanka" has some wah-wah guitar colour and there's somewhat unusual drum pattern at the end of ”Bandiera Rossa”, but it's only details that can't save the album.

Cover variations exist, some with a sticker with album title and the artists' names on front, some with no such info at all on the front sleeve.

Första maj / Partisansången / Bandiera Rossa / Världens alla slavar vakna  / Komintern  / Warschawjanka / Riegohymnen/ Socialisternas marsch 

GÁBOR SZABÓ – The Swedish albums

Gábor Szabó was a Hungarian born American guitarist whose best known albums are ”Bacchanal”, ”Dreams” both from 1968, and unfortunately also unbelievably cheesy ”Jazz Raga” from 1967. If you want to hear stunningly bad sitar playing, please choose ”Jazz Raga”, one of legendary jazz label Impulse's greatest brainslips. ”Bacchanal” and ”Dreams” however are two lovely examples of pop jazz with psychedelic tinges. Two albums of quality cool kitsch.

 

Small World (Four Leaf Clover, 1972)

Instrumental

International relevance: **

Recorded in two days in August 1972 in Stockholm, this is the first Szabó album to feature Swedish musicians, this time Schaffer and Nils-Erik Svensson of Svenska Löd AB!, Stefan Brolund, Sture Nordin, and Berndt Egerbladh. It's one of Szabó's best 70s albums, very close to his 60s work, with his characteristic guitar sound set to a groove-laiden background. Szabó recorded the Oriental sounding ”Mizrab” several times, but this version is the best of them all, with a great, funky ensemble performance. (A mizrab is the special kind of plectrum you put on your index finger when you play sitar.) ”Small World” is an often overlooked album which deserves more attention. Several different cover variations exist.

 

Belsta River (Four Leaf Clover, 1979)

Instrumental

International relevance: **

Another two-day session in Sweden, this time in January 1978 (but not released until the following year). Only Schaffer is left from ”Small World”, with Wlodek Gulgowski, Malando Gassama, Peter Sundell (from De Gladas Kapell), and Finnish/Swedish Pekka Pohjola joining him. Nowhere near as good as ”Small World”, this is muzak fusion, decorative but dull. The Latin affected ”24 Carat” has some life in it, but it's still not very good. (The album was also released in Japan as ”24 Carat”.)

”Belsta River” was to be one of Szabó's last albums. He died in 1982 while visiting his birth town Budapest only 45 years old from liver and kidney failure caused by drug abuse.

Small World full album playlist
Belsta River full album playlist

BENGT-ARNE WALLIN – Varmluft (Sonet, 1972)

Swedish vocals, instrumental
International relevance: **

Bengt-Arne Wallin is surrounded by an interesting lot of performers on ”Varmluft”. Apart from the internationally renowned swing and bebop trumpeter Clark Terry, there's a number of domestic dignitaries here including Marie Selander, Lennart Åberg (of Rena Rama), Georg Riedel, Sabu Martinez, Anthony Reebop Kwaku Bah and Maffy Falay. And as always, Janne Schaffer. The music could be called progressive big band, but that doesn't quite say much about its variety. There are low-key, moody moments, funky sections, folksy moments – there's a little bit of everything working together as a kaleidoscopic whole. Wallin sometimes wanted too much at once which is the problem with for instance ”Wallin/Wallin”, but ”Varmluft” is a bit better sorted out. Not everything here is successful, but some of it is. And I do appreciate his approach even when it doesn't work out completely. He was a visionary and it's always heartwarming delving into a visionary's work.

The cover art is made by Lasse Åberg.

No links found 

MARSFOLKET – Marsfolket (Mellotronen, 2025; rec. 1971)

 English vocals, instrumental
International relevance: ***

Marsfolket was a supergroup of sorts even though the members of this six-piece wasn't necessarily 'superstars' as of yet. Björn Skifs had been in 60s band Slam Creepers, and Claes ”Clabbe” af Geijerstam used to be a teen idol in pop band Ola & The Janglers. But Bo Häggström (previously of Lea Riders Group and Made In Sweden, then replaced in Marsfolket by Mike Watson), Björn Linder (post-Tages outfit Blond), Janne Schaffer and Ola Brunkert (later ABBA's go to drummer) weren't quite household names in these days (and some of them probably aren't still). They only existed for a very bried period, from to March to April 1971 – hence their name Marsfolket (a pun meaning both ”the people of March” and "martians"). Their main purpose was touring, and for long, the only physical proof of their existence was a single and one track on Janne Schaffer's debut album, the massively funky ”Jordbruksmaskinen”. The single entitled ”Marsfolkets justa rattar” with the tracks ”Maria, Maria” and ”The Hunter” is somewhat rare, and for long I hoped there would be more recordings of theirs. Then out of the blue this full-length album of previously unreleased recordings in studio quality appeared!

Given the group's ephimeral nature, they relied a fair bit on cover versions of contemporary acts such as Grand Funk Railroad, J.J. Cale, Derek & The Dominoes and The Band. While that might not look too tasty on paper, the thing is that Marsfolket were a brilliant bunch who knew how to shake up even the most wooden material. A little less than half of their repertoire was nevertheless original songs and they are every bit as rocking, grooving, funky and musically abundant as their borrowed material.

Björn Skifs is best known internationally for ”Hooked On A Feeling” which took his band Blue Suede to the top of the Billboard charts years before ABBA claimed the same spot. One thing that ”Marsfolket” proves is what a great singer Björn Skifs indeed was. He's unfortunately one of those singers born with an excellent voice that he – much like Tommy Körberg – habitually has wasted on uninteresting or plain stupid material. When he doesn't hold back, he's a truly gifted blue eyed soul vocalist. Geijerstam isn't too shabby either although his voice isn't quite as strong as Skifs's, but alternating between the two work just fine in this setting and adds a little extra variation.

My guess why Marsfolket was such a vibrant band is because they didn't have anything to prove. Knowing their time was limited already from the start meant they could let loose and simply enjoy themselves in each other's company without having to deliver absolute perfection as session musicians or big stage entertainers. That's what makes this album so delightful. Yes, that's exactly what this is – a delight!

Full album playlist

STEN ASGER-JENSEN – Clown (CBS, 1973)

 Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

Little known singer/songwriter (information is scarce), but he was assumably of Danish descendance judging by his name. He released only one album in 1973 plus one single the following year. Only Janne Schaffer and Jojje Wadenius get musicians credit on the cover but it must be Björn J:son Lindh on flute.

Asger-Jensen was a rather talented songwriter with a clear inspiration from folk rock as evident on ”Färden” and the title track. He supposedly had a couple of Jethro Tull albums in his record collection too as some tracks have tastefully proggy touches. More generally speaking, ”Clown” falls roughly between ”Lagt kort ligger” John Holm and B.L. Magnell meaning this is actually quite good. Whoever plays on it, they all seem to have enjoyed their session work too because the backing sounds genuinely inspired. Try for instance ”Den femte visionen” which keeps building until it gets rather heavy with Schaffer (presumably) going stringbending crazy towards the end. 

Not a too common find but apparently rather cheap and well worth picking up if you find it. I do like it quite a bit. 

Full album playlist 

LEE SCHIPPER – Phunky Physicist (CAM, 1975)

Instrumental
International relevance: **

Now here are some peculiar turn of events! Lee Schipper was an American physicist specializing in energy efficency research and considered something of a pioneer on climate issues. He was also a vibraphonist and recorded an album in 1973 with Swedish musicians Stefan Brolund, Ola Brunkert, Christer Eklund, and thick-as-thieves couple Schaffer & J:son, plus Americans Art Lande on piano and Ted Curson on trumpet, and produced by Swedish big band leader Lasse Samuelsson. The album, appropriately entitled ”Phunky Physicist” was originally only released on Italian library music label CAM in 1975 before eventually getting a Swedish reissue on Four Leaf Clover two years later with new title ”Jazz Meeting 1”. Later yet it appeared as a digital release expanded with two bonus tracks, one with the eyebrow raising title ”LSD Takes A Holiday”.

I'm not a fan of the vibraphone; it's too close in sound to steel pans and there's something about it that makes me restless. A personal thing for sure, but even without the vibraphone, the album isn't too thrilling. It's all very competent but also very dutiful, going through the motions without much excitement. It leans towards fusion jazz but without becoming a fully fledged fusion album of the most formulaic kind. The track ”Still Life” moves in a silent way (if you get the drift) and is one of the best ones on the album. Apart from that, it's Jan Schaffer who gets to shine the most here, going crazy in opening number ”Phunky Physicist” and ”Harvest Machine” (also found on Schaffer's debut LP in a tamer version). ”LSD Takes A Holiday” is unfortunately not as strange as the title might lead you to believe.

So the album has some OK moments, but the somewhat odd story behind it is much more interesting than the album itself.

Full album playlist with bonus tracks

RALPH LUNDSTEN & THE ANDROMEDA ALL STARS – Complete albums 1977-1982

A curious character, this Ralph Lundsten guy. His career somehow parallels that of Ragnar Grippe, as Lundsten started out as an electro-acoustic composer and then gradually moved towards more commercially accessible music. A wider attention came in the mid 70's with his series of so called nature symphonies taking inspiration from Swedish nature and folklore. Lundsten became something of a new age music pioneer, recording many of his albums in his Andromeda studio in a house painted pink. He was on a massive ego trip, seemingly only liking his own music. Most of his many many albums are cheesy and aimed at the crystal healers market. To be fair, a lot of his un-commercial early stuff (from the late 60's and early 70's) is quite superficial too but at least somewhat more interesting to listen to.

With the 70's drawing to a close, Lundsten assembled an amorphous band called The Andromeda All Stars and rarely has the term ”all stars” been more to the point. Plenty of name performers passed through, too numerous to mention in all, but a few would be Bernt Rosengren, Ahmadu Jarr, Tommy Körberg, Jojje Wadenius, Monica Dominique, Wlodek Gulgowski, Björn Inge (November et al), Björn J:son Lindh, Janne Schaffer, Tomas Ledin, and renaissance music flag-bearer Sven Berger. This massive lot of people helps the four Andromeda All Stars albums into the progg realm.

Universe (Harvest, 1977)
Instrumental, wordless vocals
International relevance: **

The first All Stars album (housed in a truly eye-catching cover) is one of Lundsten's best, although I hesitate to use superlatives when talking about Lundsten's albums, no matter what line-up they flash. It's uneven and still very cheesy, but it has some entertaining moments of gurgling and bubbling sounds where Lundsten probably just fools around with the crazy sound effects because he enjoys it. As typical to his post-EAM albums, there are plenty of synth washes. The best tracks are those that have a rhythmic structure, like ”Harvest In Heaven”, ”Space Funeral”, and the space rock sounding ”The Planet Of Winds”.

Discophrenia (Harvest, 1978)
Instrumental
International relevance: **

With the disco wave sweeping the world in the late 70's, plenty of musicians jumped the danceable bandwagon. Even the self-loving Ralph Lundsten got bit by the bug, but his interpretation of disco is of course different to others. He either mess with it deliberatly, or he misunderstands everything. The title track is in fact rather interesting as Lundsten seems to predict the synth pop still a few years away from public recognition. It actually reminds me a bit of the early Human League albums (those before the girls joined the group and they became MTV darlings with ”Don't You Want Me”) and they hadn't been released yet when ”Discophrenia” came out. The album even spawned a single (with an extended remix of the title track), a rather rare thing in Lundsten's discography.

Alpha Ralpha Boulevard (Harvest, 1979)
Instrumental, English vocals
International relevance: **

The third Andromeda All Stars album falls somewhere between the first two, with characteristics spilling over from both. ”Rendezvous With A Washing-Machine”, ”Ego Love Song” (appropriate title for Lundsten!) and ”Horrorscope” are still discophrenic, while other chunks stick to the wishy-washy synth layers. The album is very inconsistent, and it sounds as if it's cooked up from leftovers from the previous two discs. The all stars concept is beginning to wear thin.

The New Age (Harvest, 1982)
Instrumental
International relevance: **

After a couple of electronic/symphonic works in the beginning of the 80's, Lundsten returned in 1982 with the final album credited to The Andromeda All Stars. Largely new-agey as the title lets you know, but a more coherent work than ”Alpha Ralpha Boulevard”. But it does sound as if the steam had run out altogether of the All Stars project. It's less colourful and crazy than the initial trio, there's no real push to it.

From "Universe"
Universe Calling / The Space Sneaker / In The Shade Of The Purple Moon / The Hot Andromedary / The Blue Planet / Harvest In Heaven / In The Erotosphere / The Celestial Pilgrim / Rhapzodiac / The Planet Of Winds / Lunatic Safari / Space Funeral / Cosmic Song

From "Discophrenia"
Andromedan Nights / Discophrenia / Luna Lolita / Robot Amoroso

From "Alpha Ralpha Boulevard"
Alpha Ralpha Boulevard / Rendezvous With A Washing-Machine / Space Flower Dance / Ego Love Song / Happy Earthday / Horrorscope / Computerful Love / Dancing In A Dream / Lifetide

From "The New Age"
Morning Of Creation / Time Storm / Future Carnival / Trance-Action / The Remembering Castle / Garden Of Delight

BERNDT EGERBLADH - Nybyggarland (Sonet, 1973) / Kristallen den fina (CBS, 1975) / African Suite (Sonet, 1976)

Swedes of certain generations probably remember Bernt Egerbladh hosting a couple of TV series in the 70's and 80's, in which he interviewed other people and remembered his own past. Perhaps it would surprise those that Egerbladh makes an appearance here on this blog.

He was a noted jazz pianist long before the TV series with a discography going back to the early 60's. His debut on record came in 1962 with ”Fanfar!”, an album split with Lasse Lystedt Quintet. Egerbladh favoured a lyrical tone in the Jan Johansson tradition, but he also harboured pronunced modernist leanings early on, as demonstrated on the 1965 title track from ”Schizo”, his first album of his own. His solo output is surprisingly slim, but he was a beloved session musicians, playing on records by and/or writing music for Doris, Gimmicks, Heta Linjen, Ann-Kristin Hedmark, Rune Andersson, James Hollingworth, and Lill Lindfors. Some of these names may not mean much to a non-Swede, but they present a wide span of musical styles and interests. One of his best known tracks is ”You Never Come Closer” on Doris's sole album, a magnificent slice of uneasy fringe psychedelia. Considering his variety as songwriter as well as performer, this progg blog feature may not be that surprising at all. Egerbladh – who died in 2004 – was a curious explorer happy to take part in projects way outside the jazz world that fostered him.

Nybyggarland (Sonet, 1973)
Instrumental
International relevance: **

With all the tracks adapted from folk tunes of Northern Sweden, it's easy to see ”Nybyggarland” as a modernization of sorts of Jan Johansson's massively successful ”Jazz på svenska” released almost ten years earlier. But ”Nybyggarland” has a wider sound palette with Ulf Andersson (EGBA, Feta Heta Linjen) and Ahmadu Jarr on congas. The album starts out cunningly straight, but by the third track ”Vaggvisa från Norrbotten”, things are getting slightly strange. A foreboding organ creeps into one channel, a cembalo sounding instrument searches tinkling for a home in the other. About halfway in, the piano goes off into unpredicted terrain, as if it breaks free from the melodic centre and breaks up into modal streams. 

The melody of the title track is more like a suggestion of what to come, and soon gives way for a bass riff that establishes a strange moving rhythm building up to a mysterious, almost Arbete & Fritid-like bounce. The albums really goes off the rails with the next track ”Ja, kom då!” where Ulf Andersson's flute leads the way into a gurgling, pulsating and flat out trippy haze deepened by Egerbladh's druggy organ competing with his almost Mwandishi-styled electric piano. The album sort of withdraws a bit after that, but it has one surprise left, ”Hjortronmyren”, with a simple and persistent horn riff fleshing out Ahmadu Jarr's conga beat.

There's nothing bad on this album, but had the entire disc been like those three tracks I've singled out, this would have been a full-on masterpiece. Now, it's a good, maybe even great, album with some truly out-of-the-ordinary moments.

Kristallen den fina (CBS, 1975)
Instrumental
International relevance: **

”Kristallen den fina” works as a sister volume to ”Nybyggarland” insofar it's built around Swedish traditional tunes; only two tracks are original compositions but they retain a very folky feel and thus slip seamlessly into the program. The title track will be familiar to some readers as both Harvester and Made In Sweden used the melodic theme to their own ends. This version features what may sound like Jojje Wadenius singing along with his guitar in his typical fashion, but the guitarists here are Jan Schaffer and Jan Tolf (Egba, Häxmjölk). ”Barkbrödlåten” in turn is one of the high points on Kebnekaise's second album, and it's a stand-out also in this collection, largely because of Schaffer's really freaky guitar work. (Or is it Tolf messing about? Hard to tell, but it sounds more like something Schaffer would do.) It's also the track in this collection most likely to appeal to the average progg listener. Apart from that track, this album isn't as bonkers as the best stuff on ”Nybyggarland”, but it's a highly enjoyable album with very fine solo and ensemble playing. The folk material is strong and typically melancholic, and well suited for the careful jazz treatment represented here.

African Suite (Sonet, 1976)
Instrumental
International relevance: ***

Anyone expecting more of that bittersweet wistfulness of the two previous albums will be sorely disappointed with ”African Suite”. As the title say, this time Egerbladh looked to Africa for inspiration. It's a far more rousing experience than any of the preceding albums, and it's also the one overall closest to progg if you by progg mean Archimedes Badkar, Bitter Funeral Beer Band and Spjärnsvallet. (Christer Bothén's 1983 ”Trancedance” album with Bolon Bata also leaps to mind.) This demanded a larger ensemble, so Egerbladh drummed up an all-star line-up including several progg celebrities such as Ahmadu Jarr (again), Stefan Brolund (Egba, Oriental Wind, Pop Workshop), Lennart Åberg (Rena Rama, Häxmjölk, Bengt-Arne Wallin), and Malando Gassama (Ablution/Baltik, Häxmjölk). ”African Suite” is, for some reason, more cohesive than the other two in this trio of albums, which isn't to say it's at all samey -- on the contrary, it's a varied collection of tracks. The two I like the most are also the two most jubilant ones, ”Welcome To The Gambia” and ”Fire Dance”. Well, maybe I should mention the forceful ”Worksong” too, with its compelling beat constantly pushing forward relentlessly. But there really aren't any weak moments here. It helps though if you already like the African leanings of the abovementioned bands. If you do, this will be a nice discovery if you haven't heard it already.

Nybyggarland full album playlist
Kristallen den fina full album playlist 
African Suite full album playlist

INGEMAR OLSSON – Livs levande (Teamton, 1970)

Swedish vocals, English vocals

  International relevance: *

Ingemar Olsson is a very prolific and still active artist, and one of the better mainstream singer/songwriters to come out of the Swedish Xian movement in the 70s. ”Livs levande” was his debut and sports a slew of studio pros including Janne Schaffer, jazz flautist Tommy Koverhult and drummer Ola Brunkert. Claes af Geijerstam provides percussion and backing vocals, and also produced the album which explains why ”Livs levande” shares some characteristics with Geijerstam's own 1970 solo debut "Out Of My Hair".

The songs are split between English and Swedish tracks with some fairly witty lyrics. Not all of them are good with the country parody ”Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley” being the worst, and the Simon & Garfunkel cover ”Mrs. Robinson” feeling very redundant 40+ years later. But there are some nice moments here, such as ”Somebody's Knocking On My Door”, a is mellow and catchy post-60's pop song, and the pleasantly breezy ”En typisk medmänniska” with a swirling Leslie guitar emphasizing the light feel. The entire album's a lighthearted and good-natured effort, retaining much of the hopeful air of the 60's.

Musically and generally speaking, it may not be the classic some claim it to be, but you have to acknowledge it for being a pioneering work being one of the first albums, if not the first, to blend Xian concerns with a real mainstream appeal. Also, coming only one year behind Pugh Rogefeldt's ”Ja dä ä dä”, it's one of the earliest proper pop albums to feature Swedish lyrics.

In 2019, Olsson overdubbed new Swedish vocals to the originally English speaking tracks, and while it might have looked like a good idea at first given that Olsson's English pronunciation wouldn't quite get the Queen's approval, the update sounds like any attempt of that kind, with the young Olsson and the mature Olsson anachronistically trading vocals. If you want the album, make sure to get the original vinyl version or the original CD release from 2005 ('wrong' version has brighter sleeve colours so it's easy to distinguish from the old CD).

Full album playlist

MADS VINDING GROUP - Danish Design (Sonet, 1974)

Instrumental
International relevance: ***

 

It's albums like this that makes me question my vocation. Why do I do this? How far am I willing to go with this blog? Is it really just a karmic punishment for mistakingly killing a squirrel in a previous life by sitting on it thinking it was a small cushion? Am I a bad person? Is it only right that I suffer?

For a long time, I've put off writing about "Danish Design". Yeah, you've already figured out why. It's Danish. The title already says so.

Or so I tried to convince myself, ignoring the cold, hard facts. And they are as follows: The album is recorded in Sweden. It's produced by a Swede, Rune Öfwerman. Engineered by another Swede, Lasse Gustavsson. All musicians except Mads Vinding himself are Swedish (he's, you know, Danish). Sabu Martinez, percussion. Ola Brunkert, drums. Jan Schaffer, guitar. Keyboards, they're played by Kjell Öhman -- very Swedish. Released by Sonet Records? Ah yes, a Swedish label.

You see where this is going, don't you?

I can run, but I can't hide. It's a dirty job but somebody's got to do it. Tough shit it had to be me.

[insert inappropriate word referring to sexual intercourse]

Let's put it this way: This album is so boring, so relentlessly tedious that I consider playing Coste Apetrea's "Nyspolat" seven times in a row while breathing inside a very small plastic bag.

This is fusion at its worst. Soulless. Impotent. Clinical. There's more life in a lab grown bacterial culture than on this album.

I hate the album cover too.

Full album playlist

GRAPES OF WRATH – Deserter U.S.A. (HB Artist, EP 1969)

English vocals, instrumental
International relevance: ***

A very rare EP featuring Janne Schaffer and Jojje Wadenius on guitars, and Ola Brunkert on drums, consisting of four tracks taken from the movie ”Deserter U.S.A.”. The movie is a documentary about that exactly, Americans that fled to Sweden to escape the Vietnam draft.

There's a dash of horn rock on the first song ”Tell Me the Reason”, which despite not being very good is the best of the lot. The remainder of the EP consists of instrumental jazz rock that might sounded fresh then but unimaginative now. Sometimes Grapes of Wrath sound like a lightweight version of Made in Sweden which after all isn't that surprising given Wadenius involvement.

The EP's certainly not worth the money asked for it; it's reputation is solely built on scarcity and the musicians' names, and not on musical merits.

Schaffer and Brunkert went on to form the equally shortlived Opus III soon after.

Pi + Tell Me the Reason

ORIENTAL WIND – Bazaar (Sonet, 1981)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

This album is a bit different to Okay Temiz's excellent ”Oriental Wind”. Recorded four years later, this is a somewhat more fusion influenced with a greater emphasis on instrumental technique (hint: Janne Schaffer appears). Some parts are veering towards free jazz, and while that's nice and while ”Bazaar” is a pretty good album, it's a bit too flashy for my taste and doesn't grab me as much as ”Oriental Wind”. 

Full album

MONICA TÖRNELL – Ingica (Polydor, 1972) / Alrik (Polydor, 1973)

Ingica (Polydor, 1972)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: **

Swedish troubadour Cornelis Vreeswijk discovered Monica Törnell in 1971 when she was only 17 years old. Polydor released her debut the following year, an album that reveals Törnell had a surprisingly mature voice despite her young age. The label engaged a stellar cast of studio musicians for the recordings, including Björn J:son Lindh, Jan Bandel, Hawkey Franzén, Janne Schaffer and Vreeswijk himself.

”Ingica” features songs written specifically for the album by Vreeswijk, Carl-Axel Dominique (of Solar Plexus) and J:son Lindh, plus Franzén and Vreeswijk translated covers of Melanie, Eric Anderson and Jethro Tull. The album is in a melancholy folk rock vein with Törnell's raspy voice to the fore. A consistent work, especially for such a young artist as Törnell was at the time.

Alrik (Polydor, 1973)

Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: **

”Alrik” is similar in tone and style to the debut, only with deeper running folk strains. The album uses more or less the same set of musicians, and Törnell herself sounds a bit more confident here, bringing in more songs written by herself than on the previous album. The best track however is the album's first, the traditional ”Öje brudmarsch” with some mean Schaffer guitar.

Ingica full album playlist
Alrik full album playlist

JANNE SCHAFFER – Complete 1970's solo albums

I often mention Jan "Janne" Schaffer on this blog, simply because he's heard on a massive amount of albums by a massive amount of artists. Schaffer was a popular session musician thanks to his versatility, equally at ease with rough and rowdy workouts (see Pop Workshop) and soft and lyrical shadings.

Schaffer's first instrument was the piano, but that changed as soon as he had built his first guitar in school in 1957. He founded 60's band Sleepstones who released a couple of 45's and supported as different international acts as Cliff Richard and Pink Floyd on their visits to Sweden (the Floyd at their legendary performance at Gyllene Cirkeln/The Golden Circle in Stockholm). His studio musician career began with session work for ex-Slam Creepers singer Björn Skifs on his first solo album in 1970, and then he went on to play for just about everybody from ABBA down. Schaffer was often seen and heard in tandem with his buddy Björn J:son Lindh, performing on several of the noted flute player's albums through the years, and Lindh appearing on Schaffer's.

Janne Schaffer (Four Leaf, 1973)
Instrumental

International relevance: ***

Schaffer's first album is as expected an all instrumental effort with lots of melodic soloing with both prog and jazz characteristics. The heavy opening track ”Halkans affär” is classic Schaffer, while the acoustic ”Kulan” is light and delicate. The best track though is ”Titus” (featuring Björn J:son Lindh's flute).

It's a pity that the quirky ”The Chinese” wasn't on the Swedish version of the album – it substituted B.B. King cover ”Did You Ever Love a Woman” when released on Vertigo in the UK, even becoming the title track of the international release. This version gets the nod over the Swedish edition. And the new cover (below) is breathtaking!

All in all, a pleasant album in the light fusion vein.

Janne Schaffers andra LP (Four Leaf, 1974)

Instrumental
International relevance: ***

”Ugglor i mossen” is a nice track, but Schaffer ventured too close to jazz rock and funk fusion with his second album (appropriately enough called ”Second LP” for its international launch). The last track ”Vilda drömmar” is pretty wild but still too fusion infested. (Already the Jukka Tolonen vibe of the cover is suspicious.) His solo debut may have been a bit too calculated, but it still sounded rather spontaneous and fresh. This however sounds as if Schaffer had become more self-confident as a solo artist, knowing he could reach dull perfection and striving for it. 

Katharsis (CBS, 1976)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

Schaffer's albums grew continuously stiff, getting more and more wrapped up in studio slickness in both sound and performances. Album opener ”Bromma Struttin'” is OK compared to the rest of the album, but ”Katharsis” is really a full on fusion sleeping pill. 

Earmeal (CBS, 1978)
Instrumental

International relevance: **

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, Schaffer went to the States to record with studio zombies Toto. I can't think of anything much worse than Toto in terms of soulless, bloodless and lifeless cold test tube music – I even prefer the antiseptic adult lab rock of Steely Dan. So you can imagine what happens when you bring the increasingly overcompetent Schaffer together with Toto's rhythm section Mike and Jeff Porcaro – you get ”Earmeal”. It's not the meal I ordered but if it's all I get, I prefer to let my ears starve.

Released internationally with a much uglier cover art (below).

Janne Schaffer full album playlist
Janne Schaffers andra LP full album playlist
Katharsis full album playlist
Earmeal full album playlist

SLIM BORGUDD – Funky Formula (Four Leaf, 1976)

English vocals

International relevance: ***

Originally drummer with Hawkey Franzén's great 60's band Lea Riders Group, then Made In Sweden, then Solar Plexus, Tommy ”Slim” Borgudd turned celebrity studio musician in the 70's and successful Formula 1 driver (hence the cover).

”Funky Formula” is indeed one funky affair –  Borgudd was obviously into James Brown and 70's hard funk. It features Jan Schaffer, Björn J:son Lindh, Jojje Wadenius, Göran Lagerberg and former Lea Riders Group/Made In Sweden bassist Bo Häggström. Three singers also join in: Björn Skifs (known to the whole wide world for fronting Blue Swede who scored a U.S. hit in 1974 with their version of ”Hooked on a Feeling”), Tommy Körberg (Solar Plexus, Made in Sweden) and – surprisingly enough – rock'n'roll singer Jerry Williams. Some might frown in disbelief at the vocalist choices (especially Jerry Williams) but they're all pretty solid in this setting. ”Funky Formula” isn't a top shelf effort but it's OK.

Full album playlist

ARDY & LASSE – Ardy & Lasses öronpaj (SR, 1973)

Swedish vocals, spoken word, instrumental

International relevance: **

Those who only have heard the brilliant track ”Black Sallad” as featured on the ”Pregnant Rainbows for Colourblind Dreamers” box set have probably got the wrong idea of ”Ardy & Lasses öronpaj”. It has a couple of further funky passages courtesy of Janne Schaffer and others, but it mostly consists of sound collages and nonsensical skits by drawer Ardy Strüwer and comedian Lasse Åberg. The album's more like a surrealist comedy radio play, and if that sounds fun and interesting, it really isn't. Those who scored a copy of ”Pregnant Rainbows” can stick to that and leave this album to those who happily fork out big bucks for nothing.

The title ”Pregnant Rainbows for Colourblind Dreamers” came from a one-sided solo 'psychedelic' single by Ardy Strüwer, also featuring Lasse Åberg but released three years prior to the album.

”Ardy & Lasses öronpaj” wins the golden award for Most Bizarre Album Art though.

Lasse Åberg later became one of Sweden's most popular comedy movie directors.

Black Sallad

Lågtryck 

Charterplayboy

Universum skrattar

 

Ardy:

Pregnant Rainbows For Colourblind Dreamers

ANTHONY 'REEBOP' KWAKU BAH – Anthony 'Reebop' Kwaku Bah (Philips, 1973)

 
Instrumental, English vocals, other languages
International relevance: ***

Percussionist Anthony 'Reebop' Kwaku Bah (usually spelt Baah) made a couple of albums for Island Records (including ”Welcome to the Canteen” with Traffic members in 1971) but this was his only uniquely Swedish album, with a stellar cast of Fläsket Brinner members, jazz pianist Bobo Stenson, the everpresent Jan Schaffer. and Maffy Falay of the mighty Sevda. It's an eclectic jazz effort with well proportioned ingredients of American and African funk, prog, and even dashes of psych. It's tempting to compare it to early 70's Don Cherry and while not entirely wrong this album has a stronger fusion feel than what Cherry usually had. It's a vital concoction, highlighted by the merciless groove of ”Lovin' You Baby” and the sexy ”200 to 500 Years Ago” that goes on for nine funky and hypnotizing minutes. Essential.

Originals are very rare but French label JetRecords reissued it in 2020.

Full album playlist

LASSE TENNANDER – The 1970's albums

Lasse Tennander's first record appearance was as a member of 60's Kingston Trio styled folk trio The Wayfarers, and for his 1974 solo debut ”Lars Vegas” he had evolved into one of many progg singer/songwriters steeped in the Dylan tradition. His lyrics are often political but rarely shouty. A curious fact is that he translated the lyrics to Pugh Rogefeldt's ”Ja dä ä dä” album. His English translations were used for the back cover of the U.S. release on Vault.

Lars Vegas (Midnight Sun, 1974)

Swedish vocals, English vocals

International relevance: *

”Lars Vegas” mixes softer tracks with upbeat numbers. The most interesting thing about the album is the credits list. Many studio regulars appear – Janne Schaffer. Jan Bandel and Mike Watson but also Anders Nordh of Life on guitar. The songs lack originality, but "Shall We Join the Ladies" is mildly interesting with a string arrangement and reveals a surprising David Bowie influence both in style and Tennander's voice.

Alla är vi barn i början (Oktober, 1976)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

The title track is one of Tennander's best songs, and ”Yngve Frejs barn” is him at his proggiest, but the rest of the album is as yawny as ”Lars Vegas”. Several session musicians used on his debut appear here as well, including Nordh but they can't save this album either.

På jakt... (Sonet, 1978)
Swedish vocals 

International relevance: *

 

”På jakt I” is a four minute autobiography, ”För gammal för rock men för ung för att dö” is an obvious (and rather funny) gibe at rock singer/songwriter Ulf Lundell (now a national icon), and ”Långt bortom allt förnuft” has a bittersweet melancholy to it, and several lyrics deal with having a child. But it's still as unengaging as his previous two LP's.

”På jakt...” was also released with the sleeve variation seen above.

Längst därinne är himlen ändå röd (Sonet, 1979)

Swedish vocals

International relevance: *

Better than the previous ones, by a small margin. ”Med revade segel” is his best song, and possibly a comment to the subsiding progg movement in a similar vein to Mikael Wiehe's ”Titanic (Andraklasspassagerarens sista sång)”. Or a political analysis of the year when the Social Democratic Party lost the election to the right wing parties for the first time in 40 years. The song was also released a single. Lasse Englund, Stefan Nilsson and blues artist Rolf Wikström among the session players.

Lasse Tennander continued making albums for decades but appears to have retired now. A 1976 recording with back-up from Kaipa (?!) is included in ”Progglådan”.

Lars Vegas full album playlist
Alla är vi barn i början full album playlist 

På jakt... full album playlist

Längst därinne är himlen ändå röd full album playlist

Tonkraft 1976 full album playlist (tracks 1-4)

POP WORKSHOP – Vol. 1 (Grammofonverket, 1973) / Songs of the Pterodactyl (Grammofonverket, 1974) / WLODEK GULGOWSKI – Soundcheck (Polydor, 1976)

A super group of sorts including Jan Schaffer, Wlodek Gulgowski, Ola Brunkert, Stefan Brolund, and on ”Songs of the Pterodactyl” drummer Tony Williams of Miles Davis and Lifetime fame. Just by reading those names you should get a clear idea of what the music's like, funky fusion permeated by technical talent. Which it is. 

POP WORKSHOP  – Vol. 1 (Grammofonverket, 1973)

Instrumental 

International relevance: ***

”Vol. 1” is a heavier and proggier album than expected though with some riveting guitar work from Schaffer. The powerful ”Perforated Mind” should appeal to Zappa heads while Magma fans ought to be delighted by ”Equinox”, but ”Vol. 1” is a solid affair way too good to be held hostage by the fusion crowd!

POP WORKSOP – Songs of the Pterodactyl (Grammofonverket, 1974)

Instrumental

International relevance: ***

”Songs of the Pterodactyl” is good too, almost great but lacks some of the debut's freshness, as if they tried to consciously repeat the quirky angularity of their first album. Everything is in the right place with thorough compositions by Gulgowski and his Polish countryman Zbigniew Namysłowski, but it doesn't thrill quite as much as ”Vol. 1”. Still a fine effort though, with fantastic cover art by Swedish horror painter Hans Arnold.

 WLODEK GULGOWSKI – Soundcheck (Polydor, 1976)

International relevance: ***

Instrumental

Wlodek Gulgowski had two albums of his own out in the 70's, although the first one he made was co-credited to Rory Vincent, ”Dream World”, so ”Soundcheck” is technically his first to count as a solo album. Unfortunately it's a very disappointing album coming after the two he did with Pop Workshop. It's full of slick fusion, very polished and not dissimilar to some of the weaker funky library albums that have gained collectors' interest in recent year.

Both Pop Workshop albums cry out for a reissue but ”Soundcheck” is definitely one to pass on.

Vol 1 full album playlist
Songs of the Pterodactyl full album playlist
Soundcheck full album