I am currently in a situation which is not unlike that of a professional juggler, if there are any professional jugglers left in the world. A couple of interesting opportunities have appeared, and I need to consider these while dealing with long-term goals and everyday occurrences such as deciding who will I will ask to put in a new heating system in our house.
It's good to have music in these situations. Sometimes for pleasure, sometimes for work, sometimes to turn your brain inside out with research, sometimes to escape and just enjoy the moment.
Last Friday, I took the car to Ystad and heard Magnus Lindgren's quartet with vocalist Rigmor Gustafsson and the orchestra of the Malmö Opera house. I must be completely honest to begin with. I am not a big fan of Lindgren's. He is a good sax player, he seems to have an open mind and people say positive things about him. But I don't get his greatness. But then again, I don't get Bruce Springsteen's or Bob Dylan's respective greatness either.
But having heard Magnus Lindgren perform his work Music for the Neighbours on TV a while back, I became moreinterestedd in his work. And this was the work that was performed in Ystad, so naturally I took the opportunity to experience it in a live environment. The environment in question was the old and very beautiful theatre in Ystad, situated immediately on the seafront with grand view of the sea, ships and the odd train passing by.
What about the music then? Not bad. There was some nice interplay between the jazz group and the orchestra, and I especially enjoyed the chromatic passages played jointly by Lindgren's quartet and the orchestra. Rigmor Gustafsson's wordless vocals were another highlight. She should do this more often I think. When I heard Gustafsson's own group some years ago, I remember liking the more abstract and wordless parts the best. In Ystad she proved that the good bits had become even better I am happy to say.
Magnus Lindgren played many solos, some were impressive, but most of them didn't move me. This doesn't mean in any way that they weren't any good, they just didn't affect me on this particular occasion. Unfortunately, I liked the playing of pianist Mathias Algotsson and double bassist Fredrik Jonsson less. At least on this occasion, they resorted to what in my ears sounded like dull and polite playing lacking fire, intensity and dynamics. This is one of many common problems that often show up when a jazz or rock group perform with a symphony orchestra. A wet blanket of politeness seems to hover over the jazz or rock players. Magnus Lindgren didn't suffer from this though, and I salute him for that. His enthusiasm on stage really did the performance some good, as did Rigmor Gustafsson during the second set, when several orchestrated standards made the evening take a turn towards more traditional musical areas.
It would have been more interesting if there had been more interplay between the jazz group and the orchestra. As it was, the parties met briefly, but there was no mingling and networking. And then there is the ever present question aboutwhetherr or not you should push players to play things they didn't know they could. In this case, I think it might have been a good idea every now and then, just to add some nerve to it. On the other hand, I could have done without the orchestras attempts to join Lindgren's sax lines. He swings, they don't. And who can blame them? They weren't made for that and to swing like a jazz musician, you have to have years and years of experience. Swinging takes plenty of practice.
What stood out the most was an absent musician: Magnus Persson. He took part in the performance of Music for the Neighbours in Stockholm, but was not present in Ystad. Too bad. He is a great percussionist who can play a truly funky groove and really invigorate a performance with some zest. All in all, a good performance, but certainly not a contender for concert of the year.
I was 14 when I first heard the Rolling Stones song "Neighbours". I liked the song instantly. It was loose but moving forward like a steam train that's picked up some speed. Jagger sings with quite an attitude and Richards or Wood (I am not sure who) plays a simple but great solo towards the end of the song. You can find it on Tattoo You. And the video is enjoyable too. It reminds me of why I decided to move house.
NP: Joanna MacGregor - Play
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Monday, October 17, 2005
More of that Jazz
After my positive experience with Steve Vai and his merry band of musicians, I had the pleasure of encouting Bobo Stenson's trio featuring the excellent Stenson on piano, double bassist extraordinarie Anders Jormin and new hot shot Jon Fält on drums.
Being on the board of Jazz in Malmö, many tasks can come your way. I was asked if I could go to the airport to pick this dynamic trio. I obliged, of course. As it turned out, the guys were ever so nice. Even better, they are truly amazing musicians! The interplay between Stenson and Jormin in particular is dynamic, creative and always interesting to the listener. Fält is the new man in this team, but as he really is a coming man within the Swedish jazz scene, he fits in nicely with his Monk-ish/Motian-ish mad drumming. And I mean mad in the nicest and best way possible.
The material performed proved that jazz can - and is - lots of things nowadays. Starting with a polska from Abbekås, then onto works by Monteverdi and Ives and onto original compositions by Stenson and Jormin, everything came together as great music. Not necessarily jazz, not art music as such, not simply improvised music. Just beautiful, intense, exciting music.
Any recording by Bobo Stenson trio comes highly recommended. Why not try the latest, featuring the splendid drumming of Paul Motian, Goodbye.
I spent the evening looking through some old concert and documentary footage of IB. Unfortunately, the only existing footage from the Cheval tour is patchy and filmed with a single handheld video camera. The live material is cut up and fragmentary. Still, having missed the tour myself, I was happy to at least get a glimpse of what the stage set looked like and what IB & Hallandsensemblen sounded like live.
I am currently watching IB performing live at the old fire station in Halmstad. This is a concert from 1993, and the band are really hot (pun intended). This was a line-up that existed for no more than a year and a half. Pity. Bo N. Roth is playing really well, managing to merge technical brilliance with matured restraint. His tunes aren't half bad either. Klas Assarsson was the new guy at this point and he certainly had his work cut out, taking care of the cello and the piano parts on The Voyage.
It's also great to hear songs such as "Nimis", "Factory Man" and "Initiation" by this line-up. And when can we hear Mats play a Picassiette live again? Please?
As I watch this concert - unfortunately filmed with only one camera - I realize that this was the last version of IB that worked with theatrics on stage. Personally, I miss this aspect. I think it really added to the music.
"More of that Jazz" is the last track on Queen's fine album Jazz. A great track that sums literally sums up the whole album. Not jazzy at all, but based on a heavy groove and some mean singing by Freddie Mercury.
NP: Isildurs Bane - Live at Brandstationen, Halmstad
Being on the board of Jazz in Malmö, many tasks can come your way. I was asked if I could go to the airport to pick this dynamic trio. I obliged, of course. As it turned out, the guys were ever so nice. Even better, they are truly amazing musicians! The interplay between Stenson and Jormin in particular is dynamic, creative and always interesting to the listener. Fält is the new man in this team, but as he really is a coming man within the Swedish jazz scene, he fits in nicely with his Monk-ish/Motian-ish mad drumming. And I mean mad in the nicest and best way possible.
The material performed proved that jazz can - and is - lots of things nowadays. Starting with a polska from Abbekås, then onto works by Monteverdi and Ives and onto original compositions by Stenson and Jormin, everything came together as great music. Not necessarily jazz, not art music as such, not simply improvised music. Just beautiful, intense, exciting music.
Any recording by Bobo Stenson trio comes highly recommended. Why not try the latest, featuring the splendid drumming of Paul Motian, Goodbye.
I spent the evening looking through some old concert and documentary footage of IB. Unfortunately, the only existing footage from the Cheval tour is patchy and filmed with a single handheld video camera. The live material is cut up and fragmentary. Still, having missed the tour myself, I was happy to at least get a glimpse of what the stage set looked like and what IB & Hallandsensemblen sounded like live.
I am currently watching IB performing live at the old fire station in Halmstad. This is a concert from 1993, and the band are really hot (pun intended). This was a line-up that existed for no more than a year and a half. Pity. Bo N. Roth is playing really well, managing to merge technical brilliance with matured restraint. His tunes aren't half bad either. Klas Assarsson was the new guy at this point and he certainly had his work cut out, taking care of the cello and the piano parts on The Voyage.
It's also great to hear songs such as "Nimis", "Factory Man" and "Initiation" by this line-up. And when can we hear Mats play a Picassiette live again? Please?
As I watch this concert - unfortunately filmed with only one camera - I realize that this was the last version of IB that worked with theatrics on stage. Personally, I miss this aspect. I think it really added to the music.
"More of that Jazz" is the last track on Queen's fine album Jazz. A great track that sums literally sums up the whole album. Not jazzy at all, but based on a heavy groove and some mean singing by Freddie Mercury.
NP: Isildurs Bane - Live at Brandstationen, Halmstad
Sunday, October 16, 2005
The Attitude Song
It's been a busy concert week for me. Steve Vai on Friday, Bobo Stenson trio on Tuesday and Magnus Lindgren Quartet with the Malmö Opera Orchestra yesterday evening. I will deal with these concerts in three separate installments Here's the first one
Vai I have heard twice before. Once with G3 featuring Joe Satriani and Robert Fripp, and once with David Lee Roth back in the late 80's. The former gig was OK, the latter was great (apart from the fact that Roth let keyboardist Jesse Harms to all the singing Roth couldn't handle). This time the venue was appropriate - KB in Malmö, the band was hot (with one exception), the house was packed and the music was excellent.
I believe it helped that I went with a A who is a Vai enthusiast. A even owns an Ibanez 7-string JEM guitar (which Vai helped design). Having gone to loads of concerts on my own, I am usually not bothered about going on my own, but in this case I think A made a difference in a positive way.
While walking to KB we talked Vai, music and guitars. Fun!!! I got a bit of a flashback to my guitar freaked late teens. Not that I ever would like to be in my teens again, absolutely NOT, not even if I could. But there was more time to be a bit of a music nerd, more time to practise and I had several friends who shared this slightly introverted streak.
A and myself agreed that Passion and Warfare was Vai's greatest album so far, to a large extent because of the compositions. We also agreed that the Alcatraz album Disturbing the Peace is criminally underrated. Pity that they only released one album with Vai.
I am not going into details on the concert. Suffice it to say that I liked the high level of musicianship from Vai, Sheehan and MacAlpine, the well-planned visual stunts (Vai's finger lasers, the smoke appearing at the right places at the right time, the good time interaction between the band members), and the generous length of the show - more than 2 1/2 hours. Even if I would have loved Vai to have played more of his early material, I fully understand if he wants to go on and play his later stuff. He did play a handful of older songs, so I shouldn't complain really, should I?
What struck me at this concert, as many times before, was how unfair it is that the press in general refuse to appreciate the qualities of musicianship. It is OK to rave about athletes, football players or whatever and go on and on and on about how technically brilliant they are. So why do these values not transfer to music? It is a complex matter to go into, but Allan F. Moore's article in Popular Music a couple of years back touches on this matter: authenticity. If you play rock music of any kind, you will be judged by the level of your authenticity wheather you like it or not. A lot of the time it is more about if the music critics percieve you as authentic or not. If you are a rock musician that can play technically great, you are in trouble. Personally, I would like to hear more good musicians in rock. I am convinced that the music would be all the better for it. Partly it is an attitude problem on behalf of the many ignorant music critics that know little or close to nothing about music itself.
A big thanks to Raimond for putting me and A on the guest list. You're a great guy!
Unfortunately, Vai did not perform "The Attitude Song", my favourite Vai song. It was the first song by Steve Vai I ever heard, on a flexi single given away with with an issue of Guitar Player magazine back in 1983 or something. I was floored upon hearing it and listened to it repeatedly while reading Vai's accompanying transcription in the magazine. The wang bar antics, the chromaticism, the rhythmic subdivisions were all truly eye opening to a 16-year old Swedish guitarist. Shortly thereafter, I found the Flexable album at a record shop in Halmstad (Pet Sounds) and bought it immediately. There were more strange things going on on this record! Unbelievable!
NP: Buddy Miller - Midnight and Lonesome
Vai I have heard twice before. Once with G3 featuring Joe Satriani and Robert Fripp, and once with David Lee Roth back in the late 80's. The former gig was OK, the latter was great (apart from the fact that Roth let keyboardist Jesse Harms to all the singing Roth couldn't handle). This time the venue was appropriate - KB in Malmö, the band was hot (with one exception), the house was packed and the music was excellent.
I believe it helped that I went with a A who is a Vai enthusiast. A even owns an Ibanez 7-string JEM guitar (which Vai helped design). Having gone to loads of concerts on my own, I am usually not bothered about going on my own, but in this case I think A made a difference in a positive way.
While walking to KB we talked Vai, music and guitars. Fun!!! I got a bit of a flashback to my guitar freaked late teens. Not that I ever would like to be in my teens again, absolutely NOT, not even if I could. But there was more time to be a bit of a music nerd, more time to practise and I had several friends who shared this slightly introverted streak.
A and myself agreed that Passion and Warfare was Vai's greatest album so far, to a large extent because of the compositions. We also agreed that the Alcatraz album Disturbing the Peace is criminally underrated. Pity that they only released one album with Vai.
I am not going into details on the concert. Suffice it to say that I liked the high level of musicianship from Vai, Sheehan and MacAlpine, the well-planned visual stunts (Vai's finger lasers, the smoke appearing at the right places at the right time, the good time interaction between the band members), and the generous length of the show - more than 2 1/2 hours. Even if I would have loved Vai to have played more of his early material, I fully understand if he wants to go on and play his later stuff. He did play a handful of older songs, so I shouldn't complain really, should I?
What struck me at this concert, as many times before, was how unfair it is that the press in general refuse to appreciate the qualities of musicianship. It is OK to rave about athletes, football players or whatever and go on and on and on about how technically brilliant they are. So why do these values not transfer to music? It is a complex matter to go into, but Allan F. Moore's article in Popular Music a couple of years back touches on this matter: authenticity. If you play rock music of any kind, you will be judged by the level of your authenticity wheather you like it or not. A lot of the time it is more about if the music critics percieve you as authentic or not. If you are a rock musician that can play technically great, you are in trouble. Personally, I would like to hear more good musicians in rock. I am convinced that the music would be all the better for it. Partly it is an attitude problem on behalf of the many ignorant music critics that know little or close to nothing about music itself.
A big thanks to Raimond for putting me and A on the guest list. You're a great guy!
Unfortunately, Vai did not perform "The Attitude Song", my favourite Vai song. It was the first song by Steve Vai I ever heard, on a flexi single given away with with an issue of Guitar Player magazine back in 1983 or something. I was floored upon hearing it and listened to it repeatedly while reading Vai's accompanying transcription in the magazine. The wang bar antics, the chromaticism, the rhythmic subdivisions were all truly eye opening to a 16-year old Swedish guitarist. Shortly thereafter, I found the Flexable album at a record shop in Halmstad (Pet Sounds) and bought it immediately. There were more strange things going on on this record! Unbelievable!
NP: Buddy Miller - Midnight and Lonesome
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
The Times They are a-changing
After moving from the city to a smaller place - I am still not sure what to call it: a town, city, village? - I have noticed several things that are very different. I sleep much better now, I worry more about costs, I enjoy the fresh air, I try keeping the heating off as much as possible, I appreciate the friendliness of the locals and I am really pleased with the fact that you don't have someone living on top, next to and under your confined living spaces. I can play any music I like as loudly as I like. Well, at least when A is not at home and as long as Livingston and Fassbinder - the budgie team - don't disapprove.
One that I noticed early on was that the shops had strange opening hours. At least they were strange to me. Some shops opened at eight or even seven o' clock in the morning! I can understand it in a way, because these are shops were construction workers get their stuff, and they tend to start their day early in the morning.
But today I was made aware of the most bizarre opening hours while walking past the video rental shop. In Malmö, they tend to open around mid-day and close at midnight. So do the video shops in other places I know of. Not in the place I call home nowadays. The open at 6.30! Yes, they do. I had to actually go up and check the opening times when I passed on my way to the train this morning. 6.30 it was. Inside was a guy sleepily browsing a newspaper. I wonder how many customers they have before noon? Very rarely have I felt the urge to rent a movie at that time of the day.
Spoke at lengt with M yesterday. He phoned me up on my mobile while I was walking from work to the train. I changed trains, still talking to M, and was approaching home when the signal was cut off. 49 minutes. I don't blame M. He has been going through some rough patches for some time. Since last summer I suppose, but the problems keep on coming. At least one of the problems got solved in the best way possible the other week. One down, too many to go.
On the IB, I feel there will be some interesting developments soon. The plans are solid and artisticaly valid. We are currently waiting for the financial part to be solved, then we can move on.
The Times They are a-changing is one of a relatively small number of Bob Dylan songs I like. Some of his songs I really like (Love Sick, Masters of War and Don't Think Twice It's All Right), this one I just like. I am not a big Dylan fan. Frankly, I sometimes wonder what all the fuss is about. He certainly has written some memorable songs, some fine lyrics and I can even stretch as far as saying that some of his performances of his songs are good. But as far as I am concerned, give me Richard Thompson any day. Or Van Morrison. Or (fill in the name of your favourite singer/songwriter here). I prefer Dylan's live versions of The Times They are a-changing. They tend to be grittier, more venomous and with more attack than the studio recording. I strongly feel this performance attitude really underlines the lyrics. And with Dylan, the lyrics tend to be more important than the music. Maybe that's why I prefer Richard Thompson? Or is it just because I am an anglophile?
NP: Grant Green - Idle Moments
One that I noticed early on was that the shops had strange opening hours. At least they were strange to me. Some shops opened at eight or even seven o' clock in the morning! I can understand it in a way, because these are shops were construction workers get their stuff, and they tend to start their day early in the morning.
But today I was made aware of the most bizarre opening hours while walking past the video rental shop. In Malmö, they tend to open around mid-day and close at midnight. So do the video shops in other places I know of. Not in the place I call home nowadays. The open at 6.30! Yes, they do. I had to actually go up and check the opening times when I passed on my way to the train this morning. 6.30 it was. Inside was a guy sleepily browsing a newspaper. I wonder how many customers they have before noon? Very rarely have I felt the urge to rent a movie at that time of the day.
Spoke at lengt with M yesterday. He phoned me up on my mobile while I was walking from work to the train. I changed trains, still talking to M, and was approaching home when the signal was cut off. 49 minutes. I don't blame M. He has been going through some rough patches for some time. Since last summer I suppose, but the problems keep on coming. At least one of the problems got solved in the best way possible the other week. One down, too many to go.
On the IB, I feel there will be some interesting developments soon. The plans are solid and artisticaly valid. We are currently waiting for the financial part to be solved, then we can move on.
The Times They are a-changing is one of a relatively small number of Bob Dylan songs I like. Some of his songs I really like (Love Sick, Masters of War and Don't Think Twice It's All Right), this one I just like. I am not a big Dylan fan. Frankly, I sometimes wonder what all the fuss is about. He certainly has written some memorable songs, some fine lyrics and I can even stretch as far as saying that some of his performances of his songs are good. But as far as I am concerned, give me Richard Thompson any day. Or Van Morrison. Or (fill in the name of your favourite singer/songwriter here). I prefer Dylan's live versions of The Times They are a-changing. They tend to be grittier, more venomous and with more attack than the studio recording. I strongly feel this performance attitude really underlines the lyrics. And with Dylan, the lyrics tend to be more important than the music. Maybe that's why I prefer Richard Thompson? Or is it just because I am an anglophile?
NP: Grant Green - Idle Moments
I'm So Glad
I have been in a very good mood today. This is based on some good news I got yesterday.
'Nuff said.
"I'm So Glad" is a song made well-known by Cream. Originally though, it was performed on record by its composer, Skip James, in 1931. The Cream version of the song is the first track on the brand new DVD of Cream's reunion shows at the Royal Albert Hall earlier this year. Certainly not my favourite Cream track by any strech of the imagination, but very appropriate to my current mood.
NP. Henry Kaiser interviews Derek Bailey.
'Nuff said.
"I'm So Glad" is a song made well-known by Cream. Originally though, it was performed on record by its composer, Skip James, in 1931. The Cream version of the song is the first track on the brand new DVD of Cream's reunion shows at the Royal Albert Hall earlier this year. Certainly not my favourite Cream track by any strech of the imagination, but very appropriate to my current mood.
NP. Henry Kaiser interviews Derek Bailey.
Saturday, October 01, 2005
Above the Roofs
As an inexperienced house owner, you get to experience many interesting situations. Yesterday, for instance, when I wanted to try my hand at heating the house by lighting a fire, I only managed to smother the flames and fill the basement with smoke. It's a good thing we have windows in the basement.
My good friend Mats, a man very experienced in this area, advised me to check for birds' och wasps' nests in the chimney. Having had close encounters of the third degree with wasps twice this summer, I was slightly hesitant to get up on the roof of the house. But somebody had to do it, so I did.
While there, I brought some tiles to replace a couple of absent ones. Luckily, there was no wasp nest, at least not as far as I could see. I must confess that I was none the wiser after looking down the chimney. One thing is certain though. Santa will not come down this pipe. Not unless he is less than 9 cm wide. Maybe an elf?
After securing the new tiles, I took a good look at the surroundings. I could see as far as Söderåsen in one direction and in the other direction, I could almost see the sea. At least with some imagination involved.
I spent most of the day finishing IB's newsletter. It's done now except for a picture that is still missing. This is due to Mats' scanner refusing to work.
Above the Roofs is an Isildurs Bane song, composed by Mats that has been slightly neglected I think. It's a beautiful composition with its long melodic lines and relaxed pulse.
NP: Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes
My good friend Mats, a man very experienced in this area, advised me to check for birds' och wasps' nests in the chimney. Having had close encounters of the third degree with wasps twice this summer, I was slightly hesitant to get up on the roof of the house. But somebody had to do it, so I did.
While there, I brought some tiles to replace a couple of absent ones. Luckily, there was no wasp nest, at least not as far as I could see. I must confess that I was none the wiser after looking down the chimney. One thing is certain though. Santa will not come down this pipe. Not unless he is less than 9 cm wide. Maybe an elf?
After securing the new tiles, I took a good look at the surroundings. I could see as far as Söderåsen in one direction and in the other direction, I could almost see the sea. At least with some imagination involved.
I spent most of the day finishing IB's newsletter. It's done now except for a picture that is still missing. This is due to Mats' scanner refusing to work.
Above the Roofs is an Isildurs Bane song, composed by Mats that has been slightly neglected I think. It's a beautiful composition with its long melodic lines and relaxed pulse.
NP: Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes
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