PUTTE WICKMAN – Happy New Year! (Odeon, 1973)

Instrumental
International relevance: **

Putte Wickman was a technically skilled clarinet player but best known for swing and flatulent bop jazz – a traditionalist not known for forward thinking. So ”Happy New Year!” isn't an album you'd easily associate with him. True that about half of it is dull and close to what you might expect from him, but the remainder is of a more contemporary design. It's actually pretty open-minded even for fusion jazz. The title track is straight-up funky and the undisputed highlight of the album. Free thinker Bobo Stenson appears on electric piano on some cuts, while piano giant Staffan Abeleen appears on the remaining tracks.

While not an essential disc, it's still interesting to hear Wickman had more to offer than just stale musealia.

Full album playlist

MODERN SOUND QUINTET – OTINKU (Odeon, 1971)

Instrumental
International relevance: **

A real oddity, this. The music itself is rather straight ahead jazz funk but what sets it apart from other jazz funk albums is that the main instrument is steel pans! Pannist Rudy Smith left Trinidad for Sweden in the late 1960's and played with plenty of Swedish musicians including Bernt Rosengren, Ingemar Olsson and Ewert Ljusberg. His Modern Sound outfit went through several changes, from quartet to quintet before becoming Modern Sound Corporation in the late 70's. While steel pans produce a sound that's extremely annoying to me, Smith uses them more like a piano making them fit surprisingly well into the music. The pans work particularly well on the African flavoured title track, Joe Zawinul penned ”Mercy, Mercy, Mercy”, the modal ”Ursia” and their take on Herbie Mann's ”Memphis Underground”.

Internationally sounding as it is, the album had an international becoming as well. Recorded with musicians from Finland, Ghana, Triniad, Barbados and Surinam, it was recorded in Stockholm and produced by arranger, trumpeter etc Lasse Samulesson and released only in Finland! It will never be a favourite album of mine, but I must admit it's much better than I ever expected it to be, with some rather appealing moments.

A revamped band released one further album in 1978 (as Modern Sound Corporation) through the Swedish branch of low budget label K-Tel.

Full album playlist

HARAMBEE – Harambee (Odeon, 1971)

Swedish vocals
International relevance: **

This is an album I've wanted to hear for a very long time and curiousity grew to expectations, and that's not good. The higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment. I guess we've all been there.

What I expected to get was a an album of well-crafted pop songs still under the influence of the 60's, with pronounced psychedelic elements. Something along the lines of Jason's Fleece perhaps. But it's not really the lost popsike masterpiece I had envisioned my over-vivid, hopeful mind.

It's a mellow album with pastoral touches and a rich use of harmony vocals. The album has an underground feel being recorded at home, but it's surprisingly professional sounding. The songs are on the commercial side, but not without surprises. There's a fuzz guitar breakout here, a sharp turn there, and oops! a sudden melodic twist I wasn't prepared for! There's something about the album that makes me think of a more consistent Cymbeline, perhaps even a dash of pop-minded Latin American bands such as Laghonia/We All Together and Embrujo.

Not everything here is good – ”Kalle Wall” is plain embarassing – but as my false expectations waned off, I began to hear the album for what it is, and there are indeed worthwhile moments. The fuzzed ”Regn” is a high point, while ”Tu-ru-tu” sounds like a lost, early solo McCartney demo. ”Harambee” isn't a lost treasure but it has grower qualities, and if you approach it with fewer misguided anticipations than I did, it's not impossible at all that you reach into it much quicker than me.  

Harambee made a second album in 1975 as Wasa, a much more commercial (and inferior) pop affair released on Polar Records and produced by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and ABBA producer Michael B. Tretow.

Full album

DORIS - Did You Give The World Some Love Today Baby? (Odeon, 1970)

English vocals
International relevance: **

This album sometimes get lumped in with progg, but it's not really a progg album. "Did You Give the World Some Love Today Baby" may have been released in 1970, but it's still mid to late 60's sunlit pop with sprinkles of light groove and easy listening jazz. Doris Svensson is a fine singer with a distinctive voice with mildly rough edges that fits her style nicely, but progg it is not. Except with one spectacular exception: the eerie "You Never Come Closer". 

Hands down the standout track in this collection, it was featured on an British acid jazz comp in the 90's which brought new attention to the original Odeon album (which, of course, skyrocketed in value) and provoked the demand for a CD reissue in 1996, expanded with neglectable singles tracks by Doris's previous pop outfit Plums.

"You Never Come Closer" is a cool-beyond-belief track, later reworked by its composer and noted jazz pianist Berndt Egerbladh for the soundtrack to Swedish 70's television drama thriller series "Ärliga blå ögon" ("honest blue eyes"). Worth mentioning is that horror painter and sometime cover art designer Hans Arnold did the short but wonderful intro sequence of the series. The soundtrack recording was sung by James Hollingworth, released as a 45 in 1977, the same year the TV series became a mandatory watch to hoardes of Swedish viewers. (I've added a link to the intro at the end of this review for you to compare Doris original track to the reworked soundtrack variant.)

The title track of "Did You Give the World Some Love Today Baby" is a nice enough easy listening tinged pop track, but the next best tracks after "You Never Come Closer" are "Don't" and "Beatmaker", both utilizing a charming flower sprinkled groove in a mild funky fashion. But they never come closer to perfection than "You Never Come Closer" does...

A classic album for whatever reason, but still overrated to my ears. And not progg.

Full album playlist
Opening sequence to "Ärliga blå ögon"
James Hollingworth soundtrack 45

SOLAR PLEXUS – Complete albums 1972-1975

In terms of sheer musicality, it's hard to beat Solar Plexus. Led by married couple Carl-Axel and Monica Dominique, and featuring Jojje Wadenius and Bo Häggström from Made In Sweden, they could play anything – and sometimes did. They were originally named Bäska Droppar, a name they shared with the traditional Swedish wormwood liqour.

Solar Plexus (Odeon, 1972)

Instrumental, Swedish vocals [Swedish version] / 

Instrumental, English vocals [export version]
International relevance: ***

Funky, jazzy, bluesy, progressive, folky, avant, silly, serious, dull, exciting – all of it is true at one point or another on the album. The sheer musicality of it all is the greatest thing about this album. Sometimes they're actually too clever for their own good, but when it works it's certaonly better than Made In Sweden.

Jojje Wadenius original Swedish vocals for the album were substituted with English vocals by Tommy Körberg for an international launch. Körberg made a guest appearance on the Swedish version of the album, but after re-recording Wadenius's vocals, Körberg became a full time member of the band. Which version you prefer is a matter of taste I suppose. Both have their advantages, but my impression of the export edition is that Körberg doesn't quite feel at home being only a hired gun.

2 (Odeon, 1973)

Swedish vocals, English vocals, instrumental

International relevance: ***

Their second album, aptly titled ”2” and without Jojje Wadenius who had just left Sweden to join Blood Sweat & Tears. Tommy Körberg in turn was here a fully integrated part of Solar Plexus. You win some and you lose some; the band won a powerhouse vocalist but lost some of their curious-minded experimentation. ”2” isn't as adventurous as their first album focusing more on soul styled songs to fit Körberg's vocals. I wish they would have gone further out on a limb like they did on their debut.

Det är inte båten som gungar – det är havet som rör sig (Harvest, 1974)
Swedish vocals, English vocals, instrumental 

International relevance: ***

The album kicks off with the great, funky title track, but loses steam after that. Most of the album lacks real punch; the sound and songs are too polished, and it sounds like just another day at the jazz rock work.

Hellre gycklare än hycklare (Harvest, 1975)

English vocals, instrumental
International relevance: ***

If the previous album was weak, this is even lamer. The band goes through the motions and true inspiration is hard to find. Körberg's vocals sound a bit detached and uninspired, with a style hinting at his future career in musicals. Great rhyming album title though, especially if think of "better a joker than a hypocrite" as a well deserved quib at the increasingly holier-than-thou factions of the music movement.

Solar Plexus appears on several albums outside of their regular discography, most notably on ”Progglådan” that features a radio concert, probably from 1974. (”Progglådan” compiler Coste Apetrea cared as much for proper dates and correct info as he did for liner notes proof reading...) Solar Plexus provided music to actor Beppe Wolgers's children's album ”Gullivers resor” in 1971, appears on one track on Abdo's album ”Salma”, and provided music to comedy duo Hasse & Tage's live radio broadcast ”Öppen kanal – eller stängd?” in 1975, released on LP later the same year.

Although I don't like everything they did, I have the deepest respect for them and particularly the Dominique couple. They had free souls and a huge non-discriminating love for music, which in itself is a grand source for inspiration.

Solar Plexus (Swedish version) full album playlist

Solar Plexus (English version) full album playlist 
Solar Plexus 2 full album playlist
Det är inte båten som gungar full album playlist
Hellre gycklare än hycklare full album playlist

HETA LINJEN – Won't You Step Inside? (Odeon, 1971) / Feta Heta Linjens supershow (Polydor, 1971)

Won't You Step Inside? (Odeon, 1971)

English vocals

International relevance: ***

After their uncredited back-up work for Doris on her ”Did You Give the World Some Love Today, Baby?” in 1970, Heta Linjen took a shot at an album of their own for the same label Odeon in 1971. Lead by jazz pianist Berndt Egerbladh and drummer Janne Carlsson (of Hansson & Karlsson et al), ”Won't You Step Inside” is a musically solid affair, inspired by the jazz rock of the day (not fusion) – think Blood Sweat & Tears without the horn section, or Solar Plexus with a greater late 60's emphasis. Bengan Karlsson is a bit undistinguished as a singer, and someone like Tommy Körberg would have elevated the album. Still, ”Won't You Step Inside” is much better than it sounds, and it grows over time. Worth checking out.

Feta Heta Linjens supershow (med Kisa, brass och brudar) (Polydor, 1971)

English vocals, spoken word

International relevance: **

”Feta Heta Linjens supershow” mixes music with comedy skits and that's not a good idea. The spoken bits are incredibly annoying already the first time (not to mention dated) but the music is overall better than on their debut. Good news is that the vocals aren't left to Bengan Karlsson alone, bad news is that powerful singer Kisa Magnusson goes a bit over the top. The musical segments are often fine (the jazz freaky ”You Shall Find Your Way” and ”Mama”) and even great (the incredibly powerful and funky ”It's Risi'n Up Real” [sic]). The best tracks from the first album and the proper songs from the second would make for a much more cohesive album overall. 

Hideous album cover by the way.

Won't You Step Inside? full album playlist
from Feta Heta Linjens supershow
It's Risi'n Up Real
Mama

G.L. UNIT – Orangutang! (Odeon, 1969)

Instrumental
International relevance: ***

Ranked #15 on the blog's Top 25

First of all, I'm not even going to start mentioning names of those heard on this album because everybody's on it. The album's a veritable who's who of the top players of the Swedish jazz scene at the time; a true big band effort but of course it's not classic big band jazz with a band leader constantly smiling at the audience, tux dressed players and decorated music stands in front of them. No.

This makes John Coltrane's ”Ascension” sound like a hummable little ditty.

This is TNT.

”Orangutang!” is the most powerful Swedish 70's free jazz album, great on an international level, up there with Alan Silva, Globe Unity Orchestra, François Tusques and the lot. Great jazz hurts, and no other Swedish album hurts as good as this one does. But just like any good free jazz album, it has a sense of elevated beauty, a serene lyricism, an intense burning light with your mind being its focal point. And it's dynamic, effortlessly moving from full blast detonations to jittery reflection. Of course it's not easy listening, it's not at all the perfect aural backdrop to a nice barbecue in the garden but it's got the spark to set your soul ablaze.

I save words like 'masterpiece' for albums like this.

Full album

ABDO – Salma سالمة (Odeon, 1973)

Other languages

International relevance: **

 

Not exactly progg but progg related, with Solar Plexus appearing during one of the segments of 17+ minutes track ”Ah Ya Zen”; Slim Borgudd (drums), Bosse Häggström (bass), Monica Dominique (organ), and Carl-Axel Dominique (electric piano). Borgudd and Häggström were also in Lea Riders Group and Made In Sweden. Also guesting are Torbjörn Carlsson of Splash and Björn J:son Lindh. Abd al-Rahman al-Khatib (Abdelrahman Elkhatib, عبد الرحمن الخطيب) himself left his native Egypt for Sweden, there becoming a teacher and a musician, sometimes known as Abdo.

”Salma” is a rather ambitious work, drawing inspiration from the Arabian classical music of Egypt with Western choral music – three different choirs appear on the album. Although its progg appeal is limited overall, the album is well worth seeking out for its qualities of its own. The music is often sparse and reflective, spacious yet intimate, much thanks to Abdo's pleasantly melancholic baryton voice.

The album was released in France in 1974, also on the Odeon label but housed in a different, more "progressive" looking cover:

Salma Ya Salama 

Hela Hop
Ah Ya Zen