[2014·CE30]

Christer Bothén: Stora Blå

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It was a great pleasure to produce this album with Christer Bothén my old music companion from Spjärnsvallet and other groups. His work here is quite remarkable.

Says Christer Bothén: At a Midsummer party seven years ago, Anders Jalméus – driving force and director at the day centre Stora Blå Kultur – asks me to ”come and see if you can get something going”. I feel dubious, but in the light of Midsummer night his enthu- siasm is so contagious that I promise to drop by. I have led courses and music workshops, worked with addicts, studied Sufi musical traditions centred on music therapy – and have my own theories concerning the healing potential of music and, above all: the power of music to open doors and create paths between actions and feelings. So I start as a mixture of musical entertainer and music teacher. Yet I have in fact no idea of what to do here!

………………………

The Xylophone Orchestra has performed at Stockholm’s Moderna Museet, played many concerts in Stockholm and neighbouring municipalities via the Stockholm county music authority and held open rehearsals – followed by performances – with the dance group ”På Egna Ben” (On Our Own Legs) at Kulturhuset in Stockholm. We have played at the Stockholm Water Festival and at many other music festivals. The Xylophone Orchestra has given me the possibility – by the side of my own work and research into the world of music – to work socially with music and give, by making music, a little joy, knowledge and hopefully increased self-confidence to a group of people who often have to fight harder than others to achieve their goals. Yet all the human warmth and joy that I have received during this work process with The Xylophone Orchestra means that I am probably the one who has been most enriched. The fact that the whole of this has resulted in easy-going, non-problematical music which other people like to hear is an added bonus.

read more in the album booklet and see the slide show at Xylofonorkestern

“A beautiful work of love and joy, full of moving music that emanates from the talents of the musicians rather than their limitations.” – Eyal Hariuveni, Salt Peanuts

You can hear the samples at the C&E page for this album.


tracks

  1. Spiral (5:55)
  2. Korridor (4:04)
  3. XO (7:42)
  4. Hoppa Känguru (6:47)
  5. Happiness (5:18)
  6. Duende (1:40)
  7. Desireless/Speechless (9:08)
  8. Abbessinien (4:30)

musicians

Christer Bothén: Tenor xylophone, piano, composer, teacher
Jennie Lind: Tenor xylophone, piano, vocal
Manfred Lindqvist: Tenor xylophone
Caroline Tangus: Bass xylophone, vibes
Tomas Fogelholm: Bass xylophone, vocal
Santiago Angulo Rubio: Bass xylophone, vocal
Emiel Sietsema: Percussion
Daniel Söderblom: Percussion
Anders Jalmeus: Percussion, vocal

more info

All music by Christer Bothén except Desireles/Speechless by Don Cherry/Christer Bothén and Duende by Caroline Tangus and Christer Bothén.
Recorded at Stora Blå, August 24–28 2014 by Sigge Krantz. Mixing Sigge Krantz. Mastering Claes Persson, CrP recording.
Photos Anna Intemann. Translation Fred Lane.
Cover art Christian Witting, Stora Blå Kultur
Graphic design Jon Edergren, Spektra.
Produced by Christer Bothén and Bengt Berger with support by Kulturrådet.
Thanks to Auris AB, Innovative Percussion and Nytida’s day centre Stora Blå kultur – and not least Anders Jalméus, Stora Blå’s leader.