- bengt berger: beches brew
(2009, cd, sweden, country & eastern ce13)
Swedish drummer, percussionist, composer and producer Bengt Berger recently released "Beches Brew" on his Country & Eastern label.
The Country & Eastern record label was founded by Bengt Berger some five years ago, and specialises in high quality world music, classical music and contemporary jazz. This will not come as a surprise if one takes a closer look at Bengt's musical career.
Born in 1942, he left for India at age 22 where he studied tablas and percussion. In the mid-seventies, he went to Ghana to study african drumming techniques. After his return to Sweden, Bengt played jazz and improvised music with various artists, including the late Don Cherry.
In the liner notes of this album, Bengt "Beche" Berger explains: "So here I am with an album that only can be labeled as "Bengt Berger" or "Other Music". It's my music, but it is not MY music. The music itself has decided what I want it to be." and "I didn't intend anything in particular with it, it just turned out that way."
For "Beches Brew", Bengt Berger was joined by his friends and long-time collaborators Thomas Gustafsson (saxes), Jonas Knutsson (saxes), Mats Öberg (keyboards) and Sigge Krantz (producer). Add Lindha Kallerdahl (vocals) and Max Schultz (guitar, banjo & bass) and you get the perfect chefs for Beches Brew.
The music on this disc is indeed a fine equilibrium, a flavoured mixture, a tasty brew of various influences. It's jazz, it's world music, but it's also so much more. It completely absorbed me. Excellent stuff.
No wonder that "Biches Brew" got nominated for a Swedish Grammy.
Higly recommended.
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