SWEDISH SOUTH ASIAN STUDIES NETWORK

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BERGER KNUTSSON SPERING TRIO

When musicians meet, when cultures clash, when tradition and improvisation walk hand in hand, is that the essence of jazz? Is jazz the essence of all music? The trio Berger Knutsson Spering could be said to be the essence of all jazz albums, all styles, all realbooks and all great jazzmusicians. Here they breathe and coexist in mutual understanding; Fats Waller, Ornette Coleman, Thelonious Monk, King Curtis and Don Cherry. When the rhythm'n blues meets a morning raga and an Irish traditional song clashes with the bebop while frantic dance music rubs up against a meditative blues.

The trio has played together for more than ten years and have developed a telepatic ability to improvise together. They often base the music on Indian ragas and talas and for this particular tour will do so extensively.

Since the start, the trio has played all over Sweden and in Denmark, Finland, Belgium, France and Morrocco. So far, they have recorded six cd:s, the latest one, UP CLOSE, was recorded at "La Buissonne" in the south of France and was released in august, 2006 at the label Country & Eastern. Samples for listening is available at C&E:s web site, www.countryandeastern.se/

Bengt Berger: Drums

Bengt Berger has studied tabla for Pandit Taranath since 1964 and mridangam for Vidwan P.S. Devarajan since 1968. They are no more but B.B. is considered one of the most knowledgable people outside india and has accompanied many great Ustads and done a lot of groundbreaking work in mixing Indian and western music.
More info about Bengt Berger, his indian connections and the trio at www.beche.se

Jonas Knutsson: Saxophones

One of the greatest saxophone players of today. Is equally at home in jazz, swedish folk music and world music including Indian Carnatic music which he studied from a Nadaswaram maestro.
More info about Jonas Knutsson: http://www.touchemusic.se/jknutsson.html

Christian Spering: Doublebass

Christian Spering is considered one of the best of the seemingly neverending row of outstanding Swedish bass players. He is also featured on more than 40 albums. "Christian Spering has a poetic explosive force, as a composer, arranger and instrumentalist. In one piece he goes unconstrained from the subtle lyrical to the straggling wild..."
More info about Christian Spering: http://www.touchemusic.se/spering.html