Caprice - Kywitt! Kywitt! (RUSSIA 2009) [AvantProg] @320

Enter the crazy faerie universe of this virtuoso neoclassical band. Surrealistic, yet beautiful, 'never heard before' music blending orchestral and folk instruments with vintage analogue synthesizers.
3 years after their 'Elvenmusic III', the new ‘Caprice’ escapes from the forest.
Discover now the 'craziest and surrealistic' neoclassical masterpiece of these virtuosi musicians from Moscow Opera. Caprice music on the 'Elven trilogy' was about to translate sounds and music that Elves could create. Kywitt is different and gives a human view (sometimes hallucinations...) at the faerie world. The result is a ‘never heard before’ music, more surrealistic, more ‘Fantasy’ and also more intense.
The Genius Composer 'Anton Brejestovski' seems to play with the score and instruments like he would play with toys. He adds a lot of new musicians and instruments, like drums, electric guitar, electro, vintage analogue synthesizers blended with classical and folk instruments (Cello, violin, Oboe, clarinet, accordion, duduk, saz...).
Discover Caprice surrealistic world, 'Poppy' songs of dwarves, orcs but also beautiful and intense Elven neoclassical melodies.

01 - Dundellion Wine
02 - Monday, Tuesday
03 - Kywitt! Kywitt!
04 - Mary Morison
05 - Philomet, With Melody
06 - Christmass Lullaby
07 - Fae Fae Fae Fae Fae Fae Fae
08 - Adew Sweet Amarillis
09 - Rumpled Wille
10 - The Dusk Of Kimmeria
11 - More
12 - Peggy
13 - Garden Of Love

Inna Brejestovskaya – voice
Anton Brejestovski – music, keyboards
Vladimir Bobovnikov – flute
Anton Konchakov – clarinet
Alexey Bazhalkin – bassoon
Alexandra Korzina – violin
Tatiana Strunina – harp

North Sea Radio Orchestra - Birds (2008 England) @320 [AvantProg]

Let’s start with the name. North Sea Radio Orchestra has to be one of the most evocative monikers in recent years, conjuring up all kinds of images, ideas and emotions - incurably romantic. This romance aims much farther than a pleasing title though. As on their eponymous 2006 debut, the group draw on English poetry for lyrical inspiration. On Birds there are three pieces by William Blake ('The Angel', 'A Poison Tree' and 'The Wound'), one by Chaucer ('Now Welcom Somer') and one by Tennyson ('Move Eastward Happy Earth'). Then there's the music: made up of classical and acoustic guitars, chamber organ, many solo voices, piano, various woodwind instruments, percussion and violin, North Sea Radio Orchestra couldn’t sound more out of time. This is not to say that they feel dated, it's just peculiarly not now. But this isn’t so simple either, as there is a feeling within the music that could only come from now. Despite their entirely non-rockist existence, it’s their ability to bend their compositions into song form that see them being praised to the heavens.

And if there is ever a whiff of austerity, its counterbalanced by the sheer listenability of the music. You could play this to the family on Christmas Day and everyone would probably love it. Equally, I don’t think I’ve ever heard such unforced music - no matter what conceptual considerations might have gone into this, it just sounds so… natural.

But equally, English ‘tradition’ has never been more prominent than now. Ghost Box and the whole Hauntology genre, the newly-reissued Robert Wyatt and a heightened interest in obscure folk make North Sea Radio Orchestra a lot less anachronistic than they might have done a few years ago. Yet tradition is warped a lot more obviously by those mentioned above. The North Sea Radio Orchestra are certainly original, but their twists in England’s fabric are blessed with far more subtle.


1. The Angel (2:13)
2. The Wound (3:55)
3. Copt Gliders (4:49)
4. Move Eastward, Happy Earth (4:08)
5. A Poison Tree (2:16)
6. The Flower (3:54)
7. Harbour Wall (3:58)
8. Guitar Miniature #2 (1:22)
9. Phantom (2:11)
10. Personent Hodie (3:25)
11. Now Welcom Somer (6:15)
12. Golden Cage (2:48)


Nicola Baigent: clarinet
Luke Crooks: bassoon
Ben Davies: piano, chamber organ
Harry Escott: cello
Craig Fortnam: guitars, chamber organ, piano, voice
Sharron Fortnam: lead voice
James Larcombe: monosynth, chamber organ
Sarah Longe: violin
Dug Parker: voice
Geraldine Peach: oboe
Hugh Wilkinson: percussion
Brian Wright: violin

North Sea Radio Orchestra - I A Moon (2011 England) @320 [AvantProg]

North Sea Radio Orchestra are an experimental chamber group whose sound draws heavily on elements of British folk, orchestral music (both classical and contemporary) and art rock. They are primarily a vehicle for the compositions of Craig Fortnam, with his wife Sharron Fortnam on lead vocals (sometimes accompanied by The North Sea Chorus). They are a primarily acoustic ensemble, featuring strings, woodwind, acoustic guitar, organ, piano and percussion as well as prominent use of analog synths.

Often cited influences include Benjamin Britten, Vaughn Williams, Tim Smith (of Cardiacs) and the much-loved British children's television composer Vernon Elliot, whose work NSRO have occasionally played during special concerts. They have also been compared to the likes of Frank Zappa, Henry Cow, Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Kate Bush and Neu!.

Lyrically, their first two albums consist mainly of settings of texts by pre-modernist English poets such as Yeats, Blake, Tennyson and Chaucer. Their third album, I a moon, differs from their previous releases by featuring lyrics of a more personal and introspective nature written by Craig and Sharron Fortnam.

North Sea Radio Orchestra are a unique and irrepressibly English force in contemporary music and their carefully balanced blend of folk, chamber and psychedelic sounds ought to enchant any open-minded prog fan.



01. Morpheus Miracle Worker 5:20
02. I A Moon 2:22
03. Guitar Miniature #3 1:43
04. Heavy Weather 8:07
05. Berliner Luft 6:11
06. Morpheus Drone 2:22
07. The Earth Beneath Our Feet 5:31
08. Ring Moonlets 3:16
09. When Things Fall Apart 4:33
10. Mitte Der Welt 6:09


Nicola Baigent / clarinet, bass clarinet
Luke Crooks / bassoon
Ben Davies / piano, organ
Harry Escott / cello
Craig Fortnam / guitar, voice, organ, percussion
Sharron Fortnam / lead voice
James Larcombe / monosynth, organ, hurdy gurdy
Dug Parker / voice
Hugh Wilkinson / percussion
Brian Wright / violin, viola
Guest musicians:
Matt Shmigelsky / extra bells
Sarah Cutts / backing vocals on track 1
Jo Spratley / backing vocals on track 1

Accordion Tribe - Accordion Tribe (Multinational 1998) [AvantProg] @320

Accordion Tribe were an international accordion group featuring Bratko Bibic (Slovenia), Lars Hollmer (Sweden), Maria Kalaniemi (Finland), Guy Klucevsek (USA/Slovenia) and Otto Lechner (Austria). They have recorded three albums, have toured Europe several times and played in Victoriaville (QC) Canada in 1998.

In Ghent, Belgium in May 1996, five internationally respected accordionists convened to form an ensemble that would explore the use of the instrument in different cultures and musical contexts. They rehearsed for three days and performed in Vooruit, following it with a three-week European tour. Their performances were recorded, and a self-titled album was culled from the results.

In 1998, Klucevsek put together Accordion Tribe II, with Alan Bern, Amy Denio, and Pauline Oliveros, again touring Europe and prompting a reunion of the original ensemble.

On December 25, 2008, member Lars Hollmer died after a brief illness. The group thus performed as a quartet during their already scheduled April 2009 tour, "in memory of their friend and colleague".

In 2010 Klucevsek announced that he had decided to let the group come to an end as an ongoing project but did not rule out the possibility of a reunion concert in the future.


01 - Altered Landscapes: Part One (Klucevsek) 5:05
02 - Wave Hill (Klucevsek) 6:00
03 - The Gunks (Klucevsek) 3:11
04 - Sackamra (Bibic) 5:37
05 - 3/4 Suite (Lechner) 6:57
06 - Dolores (Bibic) 4:18
07 - Netzwerk (Lechner) 3:27
08 - Jane (Bibic) 3:31
09 - Sofia Flykt (Kalaniemi) 2:32
10 - Istunpa Sankys Laitalla  (trad.) 3:34
11 - Mita Sina Laitoit (trad.) 2:38
12 - Ellin Polka (trad.) 2:07
13 - Utflykt M. Damcykel (Hollmer)  4:09
14 - Nidoina/Quirk (The Tribe) 3:47
15 - Cirkus II (Hollmer) 2:01
16 - Fathom (The Tribe) 2:16
17 - Boeves Psalm (Hollmer) 3:06
18 - Cirkus I (Hollmer) 1:53
19 - Mad Cow (The Tribe) 2:38
20 - Inte Quanta (Hollmer) 3:05
21 - Die Wintersonnenwende II (Lechner) 2:52


Bratko Bibic (4,6,7,8,14-21): Hohner Tango piano accordion;
Lars Hollmer (3, 4,9,13-21): Zerosette piano accordion, Suzuki melodica;
Maria Kalaniemi (2-4,9-21): Bugari Etnos 5-row free brass button accordion;
Guy Klucevsek (1-4,13-21): Giuletti Super Continental V piano accordion with 5-row chromatic free bass;
Otto Lechner (5-7,13-21): Hohner Lucia piano accordion.

Eskalation - Different Music for Bassoon, Wind Synthesizer and Sampled Percussion (Germany 2001) [AvantProg] @320

"...outstanding music that will definitely appeal to those who love RIO, neo-classical chamber prog, Zeuhl, the likes of Univers Zero, Art Zoyd and Zappa and even straight-ahead progressive rock. Excellent."
PROGRESSION (USA), Spring 2002

"...full of inventive twists, unexpected arrangements and outstanding playing."
EXPOSÉ (USA), April 2002

"Definitely original. If you are able to imagine Happy the Man's Kit Watkins and Univers Zero's Daniel Denis to compose music together with Lars Hollmer and with Michel Berckmans on bassoon, I am pretty sure it would sound something like Stephan Koehr's Eskalation. This is an album deserving a large audience."
TARKUS (Norway), Summer 2002

"...intelligent rock music...terrific percussion programming...a miracle."
KEYBOARDS magazine (Germany) issue 11/01; CD of the month“

"...beautiful and lively (...) and above all, authentic and personal."
TRAVERSES (France), Jan. 2002

"...a must for Univers Zero fans...speedy instrumental pieces...superb."
EURO ROCK PRESS (Japan) No.14, 2002


ESKALATION is Stephan Koehr's solo CD project of experimental rock music. In the 1970's and 80's Stephan has been playing woodwinds and keyboards in several avantgarde and jazz fusion bands, until he was appointed as a bassoon and contrabassoon player in a renowned german opera and symphony orchestra. His romance with wind controlled live electronics started 1979, when he played a pitch-following analog guitar synth module via a contact mike on the bassoon reed!
The CD contains ten distinct compositions, each with its own unique instrumentation, advanced harmonies and complex shifting rhythms and signatures, mixing avantgarde prog rock and world fusion. ESKALATION was composed and recorded using bassoons, keyboard and wind controlled synthesizers and samples, with guest performances on violin and trumpet. If you like alternative progressive music (e.g. National Health, Happy the Man, Univers Zero, Wendy Carlos, etc.).


01 - Prelude
02 - Mumien (Sonderpreis)
03 - Prozession (For Absent Friends)
04 - Böse Heiden
05 - A Crack In The Universe
06 - Sille Tanzt (Ostinato Con Variazioni I-Iv)
07 - Zwölf Uhr Fünf
08 - Folksong I
09 - Totes Mehr
10 - Vier Stufen

Stephan Koehr: bassoons, keyboard and wind controlled synthesizers and samples
Guests:
Sibylle Szymanski-Köhr: Violin (track 2,4,5)
Thomas Forstner: Trumpet (track 5)


Buy the CD:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/eskalation

Home Page:
http://www.eskalation-musik.de/english.html

Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/eskalationmusik

Kauhukakara - Eläinten Fanfaari (Finland 2011) [AvantProg] @320K

Originally ripped by spAceLover

The second album of Kauhukakara leaps a huge step forward towards the realms of lovely fantasies. The passed three years have certainly guided the young musicians towards higher planes on the arts of their trade. As the most evident signs of development I would claim more advanced compositions, even tighter thematic appearance of the album, broader use of additional instruments and more extensive use of lyrics in the singing. The album shimmers with musical sophistication and good-hearted humour familiar from the debut album, and time has not changed the basic principles of the sound drastically.
-Eetu Pellonpää (Prog Archives)-


01. Fanfaari Eläimille - Fanfare for The Animals (4:19)
02. Kasinorppa - Casino-Seal (4:18)
03. Lehmilammen Valssi - Waltz Of The Cowpond (4:10)
04. Kierähtelevä Gaselli - The Spinning Gazelle (3:32)
05. Laiskiainen Stadissa - A Sloth in The City (3:31)
06. Dromedaarin Posetiivihurjastelut - Dromedary´s Hurdy-Gurdy Cruising (4:34)
07. Mäyränkummun Tragedia - The Tragedy of Badger Hill (3:37)
08. Pingviinien Marssi - March of The Penguins (6:03)
09. Majavan Soidintanssi - Beaver´s Mating Dance (5:57)
10. Oravan Elämää - Squirrel´s Life (3:19)

Joonas Kuusisto: acoustic bass, backing vocals
Pauli Lyytinen: tenor, soprano and bass saxophone,backing vocals
Anni Elif Egecioglu: vocals, cello
Tuomas A. Turunen: piano, backing vocals

Additional instruments by Kauhukakara: harmonium, prepared piano, balafon, kemence, mey, glockenspiel, percussive, analog synthesizers

Lars Hollmer - Tonöga (Sweden 1985) [AvantProg] @320

For 1985's Tonöga, Lars Hollmer brought a few friends into the Chickenhouse to help out here and there -- notably Zamlas guitarist Eino Haapala and drummer Hans Bruniusson, as well as trumpeter Kalle Eriksson and soprano saxophonist Ulf Wallander. The musical palette is even wider and deeper than the preceding Från Natt Idag, ranging from the full-on Zamla prog of "Slutet Pa Tangon" (sounding like a Familjesprickor outtake) to the gentle lullaby of "Höstvisa," the tick-tocking percussion experiment of "Klipp en Apa," and the nearly funky worldbeat of "Karlafrique."
Elsewhere, meters and harmonics are particularly adventurous in "Lilla Pas du Valse" and the title track, "Damernas Rumango" is a fairly straightforward prog tango, and "Arvevals" is an accordion waltz accented by a spectral flutelike melody. As the ever-changing program wraps up with "Simflageldans," a tune as engaging as anything dreamed up by Simon Jeffes at the Penguin Cafe, and the dramatic "Harmonium III," with an emphatic march-like cadence and dramatic crescendo, one could only guess what Hollmer might dream up next, and it turned out to be a leap into bandleading with the Looping Home Orchestra's 1987 release, Vendeltid. [Several selections from Tonöga were later included in the 1993 single-CD Hollmer comp entitled Lars Hollmer 80-88 (later re-released as The Siberian Circus), and in 1998 Resource Records included the entire album in the very worthwhile two-CD set Tonöga/Från Natt Idag/Vendeltid. Among the bonus tracks on this set is a hyper live version of "Lilla Pas du Valse," retitled "Alfa Beta Pas du Valse" and somewhat mysteriously presented as a bonus track to Vendeltid rather than Tonöga.
-Dave Lynch (All Music Guide)-

Another amazig solo album by Lars Hollmer of Samla Mammas Manna. The album features a lot of styles and emotions, all delivered with unique Lars Hollmer style. I would say the first part of the album is more experimental (Onk Kch Onk Kch being the example), the second part contains more melodical and traditional music which is a mixture of folk, prog, RIO, jazz, tango and God knows what else. There is a lot of accordion all over the album, my favorite tracks are Lilla Pas du Valse & Harmonium III, but the rest is also very solid. Having heard only 2 Hollmer solo albums (this and Vendeltid) I must admit that Vendeltid is a little bit omore consistent than Tonöga. 3.5 stars really but I like it very much so I give it 4.
-Yurkspb2 (Prog Archives)-


01. Onk Kch Onk Kch (3:44)
02. Slutet På Tangqn (3:25)
03. Höstvisa (Autumn Song) (3:28)
04. Klipp en Apa (2:53)
05. Karlafrigue (3:55)
06. Lilla Pas du Valse (2:26)
07. Tonöga (3:02)
08. Damernas Rumango (3:25)
09. Arvevals (2:42)
10. Skiss M. Brest O Segosero (1:48)
11. Annu Ingen Pelle (1:56)
12. Rindatröst (3:52)
13. Simfågeldans (3:44)
14. Harmonium III (5:27)
15. Originalexperiment (Bonus) (1:19)

Lars Hollmer: accordion, keyboards, vocals
Guest musicians:
Alva Strand Hollmer: vocals
Eino Haapala: guitar, mandolin
Gabriel Strand Hollm: vocals
Hasse Bruniusson: drums
Kalle Eriksson: trumpet, congas
Mattias Jonsson: vocals
Ulf Wallander: soprano saxophone

DISCOGRAPHY:

Solo albums:
XII Sibiriska Cyklar (1981)
Vill Du Höra Mer (1982)
Från Natt Idag (1983)
Joggingcharleston Singel (1984)
Tonöga (1985)
Vendeltid (1987)
The Siberian Circus (compilation, 1992)
Vandelmässa (1993)
Andetag (1998)
Utsikter (2000)
Autokomp A(nd)more (2001)
SOLA: Lars Hollmer's Global Home Project (2002)
Viandra (2007)

With Samla Mammas Manna:
Samla Mammas Manna (1971)
Måltid (1973)
Klossa Knapitatet (1974)
Snorungarnas Symfoni (1975)
Kaka (1999)
Dear Mamma (2002)

With Zamla Mammaz Manna:
Schlagerns Mystik / För Äldre Nybegynnare (1978)
Familjesprickor (1980)

With von Zamla:
Zamlaranamma (1982)
No Make Up (1983)
1983 (1999, rec. live 1983)  

With Ramlösa Kvällar:
Ramlösa Kvällar (Nights Without Frames) (1977)

With Fem Söker En Skatt:
Fem Söker En Skatt (1995)

With Looping Home Orchestra:
Vendeltid (1987)
Door Floor Something Window (live, 1993)

With Accordion Tribe:
Accordion Tribe (live, 1998)
Sea of Reeds (2002)
Lunghorn Twist (2006)

With Fanfare Pourpour:
Karusell musik (2007)

Lars Hollmer - Andetag (Sweden 1997) [AvantProg] @320K

All the depth, beauty, charm, and wonder of Lars Hollmer's music can be found in 1997's Andetag, recipient of a well-deserved award from the Swedish equivalent of the Grammys. Although one can hear many musical elements throughout the CD, it is a disservice to Hollmer to describe him merely as a synthesist of diverse genres and styles into some form of pastiche. His compositional sense is too strong for that, matched by his ability to tug at the emotions with the dramatic buildup, the warm textures, and of course the lovely melodies.
Listeners unacquainted with the Swedish composer/ keyboardist might conceivably be put off by the initial moments of the first track, "Stråk", with its dirgelike tempo and orchestral keyboard overlays, which, if dragged out too long, could indeed have been quite a dose of prog-minded heaviosity. But even here, the touches of accordion, bells, and violin leaven any tendencies toward majestic overload and, like so much of Hollmer's music, impart a light touch. And this is merely an opening vignette for a long and varied journey, ranging from the floating multi-tracked vocal piece "Kvar Om Igen", with an intimate flavor and melody reminiscent of Robert Wyatt (on a tune like Shleep's "Maryan", for example) and "Asianet" (which, as you might guess from the title, melds Hollmer's keyboard drone, pulsing accordion, and a clip-clopping rhythm to a strong Asian folk-flavored melody — perhaps foreshadowing his future work with SOLA in Japan) to "Cirkus I," sort of a demented speedy fanfare-polka on steroids.
Yet the longer multi-sectioned pieces that smoothly shift gears following their initial thematic statements into new areas of melody, harmony, and rhythm are the true standouts, and make the case that Hollmer should be considered a composer in the league of Piazzolla (or at least what might've happened if the Argentinean tango master had somehow wandered into Univers Zero's Ceux du Dehors session at Etienne Conod's studio in Switzerland and begun ordering the group to lighten up just a tad).
There is a compositional integrity to pieces like "Now", "Aska", and the moody closing "Videpiano", with the listener brought to unexpected yet somehow familiar territory. And to top it all off, there are those melodies that nag at the memory — you've heard them before, but where? Certainly never in music quite like this, with the drive of rock and the evocativeness of European folk, along with a seasoning of classical music's sophistication (but not its seriousness).
Andetag is somewhat less quirky than some of Hollmer's previous solo works — there is a richly consistent sound throughout the album (which includes instrumental contributions from bassist Wolfgang Salomon, violinist Santiago Jimenez, Samlas drummer Hans Bruniusson, and UZ/Von Zamla bassoonist/oboist Michel Berkmanns) and the whimsy is kept in check, and it doesn't sound as if he reached for the closest kitchen implement within reach to use as a percussive device.
One might argue, then, that Andetag is somewhat less "fun" than Tonöga, for example, but this also represents what Hollmer can achieve when his vision is at its most cohesive: music that is truly unified from start to finish despite 16 individual pieces (from one to no longer than seven minutes in length) and the composer's globetrotting sense of genre and style. With the typically paradoxical mix of power and understatement, Andetag is pure Lars Hollmer, and an indispensable part of his catalog.
-by Dave Lynch-


01. Stråk
02. Kvar Om Igen
03. Now
04. Asianet
05. Tot Brass
06. Cirkus I
07. Cirkus II
08. Försök
09. Flyg O Forget
10. Aska
11. Nya Tag
12. Zwei Kneipe
13. Ovnuserg I+II
14. Samma Dag
15. Teknoloo
16. Videpiano

Lars Hollmer: Arcordion,Percussion, Keyboards, Vocals
Wolfgang Salomon: Bass, Bass Kalimba, Cymbal
Santiago Jiminez: Violin
Hans Bruniusson: Drums
Michel Berkmanns: Oboe
Alba and Rinda Strand Hollmer: Choir

DISCOGRAPHY:

Solo albums:
XII Sibiriska Cyklar (1981)
Vill Du Höra Mer (1982)
Från Natt Idag (1983)
Joggingcharleston Singel (1984)
Tonöga (1985)
Vendeltid (1987)
The Siberian Circus (compilation, 1992)
Vandelmässa (1993)
Andetag (1998)
Utsikter (2000)
Autokomp A(nd)more (2001)
SOLA: Lars Hollmer's Global Home Project (2002)
Viandra (2007)

With Samla Mammas Manna:
Samla Mammas Manna (1971)
Måltid (1973)
Klossa Knapitatet (1974)
Snorungarnas Symfoni (1975)
Kaka (1999)
Dear Mamma (2002)

With Zamla Mammaz Manna:
Schlagerns Mystik / För Äldre Nybegynnare (1978)
Familjesprickor (1980)

With von Zamla:
Zamlaranamma (1982)
No Make Up (1983)
1983 (1999, rec. live 1983)  

With Ramlösa Kvällar:
Ramlösa Kvällar (Nights Without Frames) (1977)

With Fem Söker En Skatt:
Fem Söker En Skatt (1995)

With Looping Home Orchestra:
Vendeltid (1987)
Door Floor Something Window (live, 1993)

With Accordion Tribe:
Accordion Tribe (live, 1998)
Sea of Reeds (2002)
Lunghorn Twist (2006)

With Fanfare Pourpour:
Karusell musik (2007)

Pokerface - Transeo (Sweden 2011) [Avant-Prog] {Free Group Promotion}

FREE GROUP PROMOTION

Pokerface was formed in 1996 by Stefan Heidevik and Michael Horvath as an experimental hip-hop-outfit. Heidevik drew upon his multitude of influences to create odd sounding soundscapes to which Horvath contributed vocals. The duo released a demo in -97 and shortly after, Horvath left to work on other projects. Heidevik continued producing material and in -99 he released the EP "Bedtimestories" in January and the album "Bedtimestories of weird science" in December. The album expanded on the material of the EP and gave hints of Heideviks chaotic and atonal signature-sound, which would dominate later releases.

The latest album, "Transeo", features both studio material as well as live-recordings and the music merges elements of electronica, jazz-fusion and progressive rock. Transeo features guest-perfomances from jazz guitarist Bryan Baker (Steps Ahead, Yellow Jackets) and free jazz trumpet player Mike Lloyd (Freddie Wadling) amongst many others. The album was met by positive reviews from the press with one reviewer stating: "Achieving this type of experimental and truly progressive music requires courage and vision and it seems that Pokerface have both ingredients in abundance".
(Patrik Stigsson - Kulturbloggen.com)

Heidevik is currently working on new material that feature further collaborations with Baker as well as drummer Morgan Ågren (Mats/Morgan Band, Zappas Universe, Fredrik Thordendahl [of Meshuggah]).


01. Hypocrites 5:06
02. Krtek Ve Snu 5:02
03. Buildings featuring Mike Lloyd 6:30
04. Beginnings and Endings 7:18
05. Quicksand-Concrete - Live 4:17
06. Like Love - Live 4:36
07. Miss You - Live 4:14
08. Really Real Reality featuring Michael Horvath - Live 3:37
09. For Those Who Have Fallen - Live 3:56
10. Spider featuring Bryan Baker 6:26


Stefan Heidevik - Synthesizer, programming, glockenspiel, percussion, vox, production
Additional musicians:
Olle Prim - Drums
Mattis Karlsson - Guitar
Per Eriksson - Saxophone, clarinet
Bryan Baker - Guitar
Anna Sahlin - Cello
Karin Svensson Nordberg - Violin
Mike Lloyd - Trumpet
Michael Horvath - Vox

Mastering:
Tracks 1-9 Andreas Karlsson - Studio Nonolith.
Track 10 Stefan Heidevik - Red Room

Co-producer:
Andreas Karlsson - Studio Nonolith

Soundengineers:
Stefan Heidevik and Andreas Karlsson tracks 1-10
Pontus Olofsson - Live audio - tracks 5-9
Gustav Brandén - Recording - tracks 5-9

Coverdesign:
Tobias Solem

Album Preview

Live

Music Video

Listen (and buy) the music here! (Facebook)
or buy directly here in Bandcamp


Let's support the new and talented artists!

Samla Mammas Manna - Kaka (1999 Sweden) [AvantProg] @320

SAMLA MAMMAS MANNA was formed in Uppsala, Sweden in 1969. The last offspring of SAMLA MAMMAS MANNA, VON ZAMLA, did their last album "No Make Up!" in 1984, so it has gone 15 years since then. Now the long awaited reunion on album for SAMLA MAMMAS MANNA is finally here. VON ZAMLA however had little to do with the band you can hear on this album. The line-up on this album made their last album "Snorungarnas symfoni" in 1976, so actually it's 23 years since they did an album together. Therefore you can understand that it is with great pleasure and high expectations I started listen to this album.
If you liked SAMLA MAMMAS MANNA back then I promise you that you won't be disappointed. It is with satisfaction I notice that not much has happened with their music over the years. The playfulness, the craziness, the humour, the experimentation's and the improvisations is ever present and it sounds just like it did back then. This is said in a positive way. I don't think that anyone would've wanted SAMLA MAMMAS MANNA to take on another direction in their music. The only thing that has changed is that they're even better musicians today and that the sound on the production has improved since the 70's. 
If you haven't had the joy of hearing SAMLA MAMMAS MANNA before I can tell you that their music is a blend of mostly instrumental 70's progressive rock, jazz-fusion, avant-garde, RIO (Rock In Opposition) and World Music.
I had the opportunity to have a long discussion once with the drummer Hans Bruniusson. He talked a lot about musicians he admired and recommended me to listen to bands and musicians such as ART BEARS, Chris CUTLER, ETRON FOU, UNIVERS ZERO, Albert MARCOEUR and Fred FRITH. I think that much of their music is also reflected in SAMLA MAMMAS MANNA's music.
The material on this album is a mix of live recordings ranging from 1993-98 and new recordings done in Lars Hollmer's legendary studio "The Chickenhouse". The cover artwork "Ha Kakan Kvar" is made by Tage Åsén who also did the art work for SAMLA MAMMAS MANNA's albums "Måltid" (1973), "Klossa Knapitatet" (1974) and "Schlagerns mystik" (1978). This is without doubt one of the best albums in 1999. If you're a fan of SAMLA MAMMAS MANNA you won't have to think twice: buy this album immediately. If you haven't heard them before this album is a perfect starter. Highly recommended!
-Greger (Prog Archives)-

01 - Stämma Lite (0:29)
02 - Lyckliga Titanic (5:12)
03 - Oh Sa Masalana Jämfört Med Ålman River (2:03)
04 - Första Ikarien (6:39)
05 - Reptilgarna (2:16)
06 - Satori (3:28)
07 - Vegetariskt Impro,Svar Direkt (2:38)
08 - Frestelsens Café (8:14)
09 - Tung Krupa Tejpraga Tra La La (2:36)
10 - Andra Ikarien (3:33)
11 - Även Oss Får Tiden Åldras Spasmodskij Engelbert Humperdinck'Blues (5:12)
12 - Hatman (2:28)
13 - Tredje Ikarien (5:30)
14 - OQ ( 0:19)

Coste Apetrea: guitar, bouzouki, veena, voice
Hasse Bruniusson: drums, percussion, marimba, voice
Lars Hollmer: keyboards, accordion, melodica, voice
Lars Krantz: bass, voice 
 

DISCOGRAPHY:

Solo albums:
XII Sibiriska Cyklar (1981)
Vill Du Höra Mer (1982)
Från Natt Idag (1983)
Joggingcharleston Singel (1984)
Tonöga (1985)Vendeltid (1987)
The Siberian Circus (compilation, 1992)
Vandelmässa (1993)
Andetag (1998)
Utsikter (2000)
Autokomp A(nd)more (2001)
SOLA: Lars Hollmer's Global Home Project (2002)
Viandra (2007)

With Samla Mammas Manna:
Samla Mammas Manna (1971)
Måltid (1973)
Klossa Knapitatet (1974)
Snorungarnas Symfoni (1975)
Kaka (1999)
Dear Mamma (2002)

With Zamla Mammaz Manna:
Schlagerns Mystik / För Äldre Nybegynnare (1978)
Familjesprickor (1980)

With von Zamla:
Zamlaranamma (1982)
No Make Up (1983)
1983 (1999, rec. live 1983)  

With Ramlösa Kvällar:
Ramlösa Kvällar (Nights Without Frames) (1977)

With Fem Söker En Skatt:
Fem Söker En Skatt (1995)

With Looping Home Orchestra:
Vendeltid (1987)
Door Floor Something Window (live, 1993)

With Accordion Tribe:
Accordion Tribe (live, 1998)
Sea of Reeds (2002)
Lunghorn Twist (2006)

With Fanfare Pourpour:
Karusell musik (2007)

Humble Grumble - Flanders Fields (Belgium 2011) [AvantProg] @320K

If you wish for an album to elevate your spirits, if you want happy and jovial music, if you want groove, excitement, jazziness and a bit of eclecticism, you're in the right "field".
Humble Grumble from Belgium started off as the folk group Dearest Companion in 1996. As this band dissipated, Humble Grumble came into being and have released three albums thus far, Flanders Fields being their first on the fabulous Italian AltrOck label. The lineup here consists of 8 members with a big cast of guest musicians. The album has 11 tracks on it, two of which are instrumentals, though you'll find a lot of their exciting instrumental prowess on all their songs.
Before addressing specifically the songs on here, the music on the Flanders Fields is as I said, of a positive and uplifting nature. It reminded me of the likes of Frank Zappa, Miriodor, Panzerpappa and Caravan. There are diverse styles meshed up together and confronted, silliness and humour, coolness and grooviness, jazziness and rock; all are well put to use in here.
-avestin (Prog Archives)-


01. Sirens Dance
02. Aging Backwards
03. Flanders Fields
04. Sleepless Night
05. Horny
06. Little Bird
07. Duck On A Walk
08. The Greatest Kick Of The Day
09. Never Lose Your Mind
10. Love Song
11. Purple Frog


Jonathan Callens: drums, backing voices
Jouni Isoherranen: bass, backing voices
Gabor Humble Vörö: guitar, voices
Pol Mareen: saxophone
Pedro Guridi: clarinets, backing voices
Pieter Claus: marimba, vibraphone, percussions
Lisa Jordens: backing voices (Track 3, 5, 6, 7, 8)
Hanneke Osterlijnck: backing voices (Track 3, 6)
Joriska Vanhaelewyn: backing voices (Track 2)
Juan Carlos Torres Iturra: Spanish voices (Track 5)

Zamla Mammaz Manna - Famijlesprickor (Sweden 1980) [AvantProg] @320

This album has grown on me a lot - and I liked it to begin with. After seeing their ProgDay performance, coupled with hearing this album and Kaka, S/Zamla has quickly become one of my favorite bands. They take a joyous, high-energy approach to some fairly complex, very proggy music, and add in a great sense of humor to boot.

The opening track, "Five Single Combats", is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. Dominique nailed it with the "cartoon on speed" description. However I've got to take exception to his description of "Ventilation Calculation" as verging on banality - the section of that song where they blow across bottle mouths to generate the melody is one of the coolest things I've ever heard. "Papa (with right of veto)" throws some twisted reggae into the mix, and "The Thrall" mixes avant-sounding vocal noises with sparse, improvised instrumentation. There are sections of "The Farmhand" which sound somewhat like Magma. This album has a bit of everything.

The keyboard work is fantastic throughout, the guitarist plays plenty of tasty leads and the rhythm section are certainly no slouches either. I'd recommend this CD to nearly all prog fans, unless you're put off by mostly instrumental music or hate avant prog enough to let the occasional bits here and there stop you. Those who cringed at the "cartoon" description might not enjoy the band's sense of humor. But I have a hard time imagining anyone who couldn't find something to like about this disc.
-Bob Eichler-


01. Five single combats 05.52
02. Ventilation calculation 05.05
03. The forge 05.04
04. The thrall 05.05
05. The panting short story 03.52
06. Pappa (with the right of veto) 04.27
07. The farmhand 07.33
08. Kernel in short and long castling 05.40 


Lars Hollmer: keyboards, accordion, vocals
Eino Haapala: guitar, vocals
Lars Krantz: bass, vocals
Vilgot Hansson: drums, percussion
Hans Bruniusson: drums, percussion

DISCOGRAPHY:

Solo albums:
XII Sibiriska Cyklar (1981)
Vill Du Höra Mer (1982)
Från Natt Idag (1983)
Joggingcharleston Singel (1984)
Tonöga (1985)Vendeltid (1987)
The Siberian Circus (compilation, 1992)
Vandelmässa (1993)
Andetag (1998)
Utsikter (2000)
Autokomp A(nd)more (2001)
SOLA: Lars Hollmer's Global Home Project (2002)
Viandra (2007)

With Samla Mammas Manna:
Samla Mammas Manna (1971)
Måltid (1973)
Klossa Knapitatet (1974)
Snorungarnas Symfoni (1975)
Kaka (1999)
Dear Mamma (2002)

With Zamla Mammaz Manna:
Schlagerns Mystik / För Äldre Nybegynnare (1978)
Familjesprickor (1980)

With von Zamla:
Zamlaranamma (1982)
No Make Up (1983)
1983 (1999, rec. live 1983)  

With Ramlösa Kvällar:
Ramlösa Kvällar (Nights Without Frames) (1977)

With Fem Söker En Skatt:
Fem Söker En Skatt (1995)

With Looping Home Orchestra:
Vendeltid (1987)
Door Floor Something Window (live, 1993)

With Accordion Tribe:
Accordion Tribe (live, 1998)
Sea of Reeds (2002)
Lunghorn Twist (2006)

With Fanfare Pourpour:
Karusell musik (2007)

Lars Hollmer - Vandelmässa (Sweden 1993) [AvantProg] @320

Lars Hollmer is the keyboards player and accordionist of SAMLA MAMMAS MANNA, a musical legend who once was, during the Seventies, the swedish representative of the Rock In Opposition movement. He was also involved with various bands, RAMLOSA KVALLAR, VON ZAMLA or THE LOOPING ORCHESTRA amongst others, without forgetting his own solo career. His works mix folk music, Progressive rock and new musics. His music is full of joy and freshness, blending simplicity and research. Published on the defunct AYAA label, "Vandelmassa" is now reissued on the Gazul label. This is a collection of songs composed between 1972 and 1993, revisiting all the stylistical eras he experienced. An ideal introduction to the particular universe of Lars HOLLMER. To be discovered !

01. Träumeri (4:20)
02. Va pappa sa (0:50)
03. Växeltango (6:01)
04. Gåvan (3:23)
05. Sväng (2:19)
06. Gospel F.A.T. Jesus (3:22)
07. Tittut (0:21)
08. Dä ögon (2:17)
09. Pompen (3:09)
10. Vattenmusik (1:34)
11. Valgrotta (1:50)
12. Celestavals (3:10)
13. Alicetheme II (1:35)
14. Teatime (Original) (0:59)
15. Doina (3:48)
16. Tom lilla Tom (0:47)
17. Unaffair (3:20)
18. Okformeimpro, for you? (4:00)
19. Harmonium I (3:13)
20. Sarasnoa (1:47)
21. Sometime (3:25)
22. Südaf (4:37)
23. Årstidsvisan (3:33)
24. Franksa valsen (2:36)
25. Novelty (5:04)
26. Door (0:02)

Lars Hollmer: accordion, keyboards, percussion, melodica, vocals 
Eino Haapala: guitar 
Gabriel Strand Hollm: percussion, vocals 
Hasse Bruniusson: drums 
Lars Krantz: bass 
Olle Sundin: keyboards 
Olof Hellberg: drums 
Rinda Strand Hollmer: vocals 
Ulf Wallander: soprano saxophone, flute 
Wolfgang Salomon: alto vocals, bass, percussion

DISCOGRAPHY:

Solo albums:
XII Sibiriska Cyklar (1981)
Vill Du Höra Mer (1982)
Från Natt Idag (1983)
Joggingcharleston Singel (1984)
Tonöga (1985)
Vendeltid (1987)
The Siberian Circus (compilation, 1992)
Vandelmässa (1993)
Andetag (1998)
Utsikter (2000)
Autokomp A(nd)more (2001)
SOLA: Lars Hollmer's Global Home Project (2002)
Viandra (2007)

With Samla Mammas Manna:
Samla Mammas Manna (1971)
Måltid (1973)
Klossa Knapitatet (1974)
Snorungarnas Symfoni (1975)
Kaka (1999)
Dear Mamma (2002)

With Zamla Mammaz Manna:
Schlagerns Mystik / För Äldre Nybegynnare (1978)
Familjesprickor (1980)

With von Zamla:
Zamlaranamma (1982)
No Make Up (1983)
1983 (1999, rec. live 1983)  

With Ramlösa Kvällar:
Ramlösa Kvällar (Nights Without Frames) (1977)

With Fem Söker En Skatt:
Fem Söker En Skatt (1995)

With Looping Home Orchestra:
Vendeltid (1987)
Door Floor Something Window (live, 1993)

With Accordion Tribe:
Accordion Tribe (live, 1998)
Sea of Reeds (2002)
Lunghorn Twist (2006)

With Fanfare Pourpour:
Karusell musik (2007)