SWEDISH SOUTH ASIAN STUDIES NETWORK

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Jerry Johansson, sitar, and a String Quartet

Jerry Johansson started out his musical journey some distant years ago in the Swedish city of Varberg, then as a guitar player and composer in various rock and jazz groups. After having had a minor revelation when experiencing a George Harrison composition on a Beatles album; an overwhelmed Jerry realised that the point of no return had finally arrived.

He immediately began studying the classical Indian raga and the world of the sitar on an advanced level, with a most serious approach. This newly found universe of his does not only need highly concentrated and daily practise, but also requires an ascetical way of living and a humble approach to the world at large.

Sitar master Roop Verma appears, himself a former student of master Ravi Shankar; and he takes Jerry under his wings, so to speak, and Jerry becomes his pupil. Jerry practises various Indian modal scales and ways of thinking and plays and plays, and in time reaches the innermost soul and spirit of the classical Indian raga. The open mind of Jerry assimilates impressions and ideas, and the sitar player Jerry Johansson moves on from there to here; from a student to finally becoming a sitar master performer himself.

In 2005, Jerry was commisioned to write a Concert for Sitar and a String Quartet from the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. 10 months later, the world premiere took place in Hagakyrkan in Göteborg, and shortly thereafter released on cd by Kning Disk. A highly impressive recording which has been greeted with critical acclaim all over the planet.
Web links to these recordings:
1. Sitar and String Quartet No.1 - Kalyan
2. Sitar and String Quartet No.2 - Kirwani

Jerry Johansson’s latest composition for sitar, tambura and string quartet is called Next Door Conversation. This time, a santour is also added to the musical texture. Next Door Conversation is a new extended work, in where ancient Indian traditions of the classical raga music assimilates together with the Swedish heritage of folk music; but also incorporates the knowledge and understanding of contemporary classical music.
Musical textures extends, re-shapes and changes places; in Jerry Johansson’s exquisite ways of thinking and blending our ancient musical heritage from both East and West, a totally new and unique music emerges. A music in where traces remembrances from then and now, Scandinavia and Asia assimilates together to a totally natural music that is all Jerry Johansson’s. These feelings emerges both in the studies of the score and, of course, most strongest, in experiencing the actual performance of the work. So, Jerry Johansson really composes and performs NEW music in the truest sense of this expression; a magical blend of ancient traditions and groundbreaking innovations.

Next Door Conversation will be released on cd, again by high quality record label Kning Disk in June 2007. The performance is a live recording, recorded on the world premiere performance in Konserthuset, Göteborg in December 2006. Jerry Johansson; sitar, a String Quartet from Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra (Pelle Appelin and Thord Svedlund, violin, Per Högberg, viola, Paula Gustafsson, cello) , Camilla Wahlberg; tambura and Farivar Khosravi; santour.
Web links to these recordings:
1. Next Door Conversation Part I
2. Next Door Conversation Part II

Jerry Johansson may perform his works in Toronto, Canada with himself on sitar, tambura and a string quartet based in Canada.

More information on the web page: www.jerryjohansson.com