Archimedes
Badkar (”Archimedes´ Bathtub”) was a Swedish group
formed by percussionist/pianist/composer Per Tjernberg that existed
between 1972 –1980, recording four LPs (including a 2 LP set)
that has since achieved cult status in several camps. ”World Music”
was not yet a household term, but for once that description seems perfect
for what Archimedes Badkar must definitely be regarded as one of the
pioneering bands. Several of the members had travelled and studied music
in North and South India, Morocco, Mali, Ghana and other countries,
and several of them were well educated in the languages of jazz and
contemporary music. What still seems unique and fascinating about this
band is that there seemed to be no limits in terms of musical styles
and instrumentation : in live performances and on recordings they would
transform themselves from a Greek village orchestra to an african thumb-piano
duo to a wild horn-driven jazz-combo to a Indian ensemble with sarod,
santoor, tablas and the works but with electric bass taking the lead…
this might not seem entirely sensational today, but think again –
this was thirty years ago.
The late Don Cherry, who some claim actually invented the term ”World
Music”, was residing in Sweden at the time and was a very important
influence on Archimedes Badkar (as well as many other Swedish bands
and musicians who started to experiment with music and instruments from
various cultures) – Cherry was a frequent guest artist with Archimedes
and several of it´s members recorded and toured with Cherry at
different occasions.
”Tre” is, as it´s title implies, Archimedes Badkar´s
third album, extended for this first-ever CD-release with five bonus
tracks from the second album and ”Bado Kidogo” (a collaboration
with members from Tanzanian pop band ”Afro 70” with whom
the group toured as a big band in the summer of 1978). While Archimedes´
first years had been pretty chaotic as far as who and how many people
were part of the band (ranging from four to twenty people on stage,
including fire-eaters, dancers and light-show operators), by the time
”Tre” was recorded it was a more tightly structured operation,
consisting of :
TOMMY ADOLFSSON Trumpet, Piccolo Trumpet, Wooden Trumpet (Sinka), Fluegel
Horn, Tibetan Horns, Conch Shells, Percussion
JÖRGEN ADOLFSSON Sopranino-, Soprano-, Alto- and Tenor Saxophones,
Flutes, Clarinet, Contra Bass Clarinet, Zurna, Chinese Oboe, Violin,
Guitar, Mandolin, Mandola, Oud, Vibraphone, Percussion
CHRISTER BOTHÉN Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Piano, Guimbri,
Dossou N´Goni, Balaphone
CHRISTER BJERNELIND Electric Bass, String Bass, Guitar, Mandolin, Mandola,
occasional wind instruments
PER TJERNBERG Percussion, Drums, Piano, Clavinet, Organ, Harmonium,
Accordion, Santoor, African Thumb-Pianos, Berimbau, Marimba
BENGT BERGER Drums, Percussion, Ko-Gyil Xylophone
PETER EK Tabla, Sarod, Electric Bass, Percussion
(percussionist PYSEN ERIKSSON left during the recording, and is only
playing on some tracks, while INGVAR KARKOFF – who played piano,
cello and guitar – left just before to become a succesful composer
of contemporary music)
For full details see CD booklet
”ARCHIMEDES BADKAR will always remind me of easy times, the joy
of discovering something new and making it sound easy to do”
- from Jim O´Rourke´s liner notes
|
Tre
(MNW)
