Mike marshall, darol anger, vasen

**Maria** · Sep-12-2007, 1:19pm

The new "Mike Marshall & Darol Anger with Väsen" CD was released today.
For anyone in Northern California, they're all playing at the Sebastopol
Celtic Festival on Sept 22-23. Väsen is doing a short run of gigs prior to that,
too. Bishop, Berkeley, Santa Cruz. You can check their websites for the schedule,
if you're interested.

**Paul Kotapish** · Sep-12-2007, 1:25pm

Looking forward to this one. Väsen might be my very favorite band of recent years--mandolin or no mandolin--and Mike and Darol aren't slouches, either. I know they've had a great time performing together recently, so this should be a real treat.

**SternART** · Sep-12-2007, 4:56pm

Thanks for the tip on the gigs Maria....keep 'em coming!

**Peter Hackman** · Sep-13-2007, 7:26am

If you do a search for Väsen on Elderly I's website you won't find them.
So happy that some people here at least know the spelling. "Vasen" looks
so very odd - it means "the vase". I assume that "Skridskolåten"
("skridskolaten" at Elderly's) is spelled correctly on the CD insert.

I wouldn't have known of Väsen if it hadn't been for Anger's praise of them ...

**Maria** · Sep-13-2007, 1:01pm

Originally Posted by (Peter Hackman @ Sep. 13 2007, 05:26)

If you do a search for Väsen on Elderly I's website you won't find them.

I assume #that "Skridskolåten" ("skridskolaten" at Elderly's) is spelled correctly on the CD insert.

It appears that most of the online sellers have "Vasen" instead of "Väsen". Maybe they're just copying what they see from the distributor catalog, and don't know any better... or don't want to bother with option+u+a. #Who knows. Yes, "Skridskolåten" is spelled correctly on the CD. I designed the package, and asked the Väsen guys to make sure it looked right.

By the way, Skridskolåten is a KILLER tune. #I'm pretty much addicted to this whole CD. Great stuff. There are three Mike Marshall compositions, four Väsen originals, and two traditional tunes - one Swedish, and one American - and one choro thrown in, too.

**SternART** · Sep-13-2007, 2:56pm

Maria,
Do you happen to know the Celtic Festival schedule for Sunday? It isn't on the web site for the festival.
I'd like to see Mike & daol with Martin Hayes & Dennis Cahill, but can only attend if they ae scheduled
earlier in the day.....as I have a meeting later that afternoon.
Thanks,
Arthur

**Maria** · Sep-13-2007, 3:24pm

Art,

I'm trying to get the schedule from the promoter. I'll let you know
when I hear from him. I hope the Mike/Darol/Martin/Dennis
set will be early enough on Sunday for you to catch it. I'm looking
forward to it, too. See you there.

**Maria** · Sep-13-2007, 4:58pm

Art,

Mike & Darol's set with Martin & Dennis will be at 3:15pm on Sunday.

On Saturday, they play a duo set at 1:05pm, and their set with Väsen
will be at 3:30pm.

**SternART** · Sep-14-2007, 1:00am

Thanks Maria.......I might try Sat........that way I could see them play twice.
Martin Hayes & Darol both fiddling with Mike & Dennis sounds amazing though, maybe
this will lead to a recording. I've seen them play with Vasen & it was very cool,
I look forward to hearing the new CD.

**Peter Hackman** · Sep-14-2007, 6:20am

Is André Ferrari (percussion) on that CD or is it just the trio?

**Maria** · Sep-14-2007, 12:12pm

Originally Posted by (Peter Hackman @ Sep. 14 2007, 04:20)

Is André Ferrari (percussion) on that CD or is it just the trio?

Peter,

It's just the trio on this recording. No percussion.

**Maria** · Sep-24-2007, 12:59pm

Did anyone make it to the Sebastopol Celtic Festival this weekend?
So much great music. The set with Mike, Darol and Väsen was INCREDIBLE!
WOW! I'll try to post a few photos later....

**Peter Hackman** · Oct-11-2007, 3:34am

I received my copy yesterday. What a beautiful record!

First there is the group sound, the beautiful blend of the three bowed instruments in varying voicings and roles. Second there's the rhythm. If I were to play this to someone not
familiar with these players he would probably not recall afterwards
the absence of bass or percussion; Tallroth takes care of both on his guitar. Some of his ascending and descending bass lines evoke the image of one huge organism slowly breathing. Of course, the soloists also carry the rhtyhm to varying extent.

As for the material, it has great variety with unity.
To the extent that I hear any improvisation it's not head-blowing-head, but more of a commentary on the written material, and coexisting with it.

About the packaging: I need very strong glasses to read some of the text. A missing feature is the short humorous comments that accompany Väsen's CD's, explaining the origins of the tunes and their titles. Now they will have a few listeners scratching their heads over "Skridskolåten". No translation is offered for "nyckelharpa" either; seems a bit awkward to pronounce in English.

**Dagger Gordon** · Oct-11-2007, 5:44am

Good news. I've ordered a copy 2 nights ago from CD Baby. Their price didn't seem bad.

Incidentally, Peter, can you recommend a good source for Scandinavian mail order CDs? I am in Scotland. I looked at a site called Digelius, but they didn't seem to have this CD yet as far as I could see. I suppose it's actually an American release.

I've spent a bit of time doing Myspace following some of Tallroth's 'friends'. I particularly like Gunnel Mauritzen, and I think sax player Jonas Knutson is a fantastic musician.

**mandocrucian** · Oct-11-2007, 9:26am

NorthSide Records

**Peter Hackman** · Oct-11-2007, 9:43am

Originally Posted by (Dagger Gordon @ Oct. 11 2007, 06:44)

Good news. I've ordered a copy 2 nights ago from CD Baby. Their price didn't seem bad.

Incidentally, Peter, can you recommend a good source for Scandinavian mail order CDs? I am in Scotland. I looked at a site called Digelius, but they didn't seem to have this CD yet as far as I could see. I suppose it's actually an American release.

I've spent a bit of time doing Myspace following some of Tallroth's 'friends'. I particularly like Gunnel Mauritzen, and I think sax player Jonas Knutson is a fantastic musician.

It's released by Mike Marshall's label, Adventure Music. It's not on his, the label's, or Väsen's homepage!! I guess Väsen are too busy promoting the latest CD with André Ferrari on percussion. Or too busy traveling that they have no time to update their site.

I must check up on Knutson. another Swedish musician to check is guitarist Simon Stålspets.

**SternART** · Oct-11-2007, 9:49am

Couldn't find this CD @ NorthSide but they do have the Nyckelharpa Orchestra.
I'd like to see/hear that! What is the best source for this quintet CD with
Mike & Darol?

**Peter Hackman** · Oct-11-2007, 9:52am

While we're on the subject of Swedish "folk" music, my hometown will be treated to this on Dec. 9

JUL I FOLKTON
Ale Möller, Sofia Karlsson, Lena Willemark,Sara Isaksson, Esbjörn Hazelius, Olle Linder, Roger Tallroth #m fl

(Jul means Christmas). I at least know about Ale Möller
and Lena Willemark. I wouldn't be surprised if Niles knows about the rest.

**Dagger Gordon** · Oct-11-2007, 10:18am

Sorry, Jonas spells his name Knutsson (2 x S in the middle). Lovely album called Norrland with guitarist Johan Norberg. I think he's also in Gunnel Mauritzen's group.

There's a lot of seriously good stuff out there in Scandinavia. Modern, but very rooted. I'm keen to hear more.

**mandocrucian** · Oct-11-2007, 11:26am

Originally Posted by

Ale Möller, Sofia Karlsson, Lena Willemark,Sara Isaksson, Esbjörn Hazelius, Olle Linder, Roger Tallroth #m fl

(Jul means Christmas). I at least know about Ale Möller
and Lena Willemark. I wouldn't be surprised if Niles knows about the rest.

Ale Möller is a must see. Got a chance to see him with Aly Bain a couple years ago, and it ranks among the "most memorable" concerts I've seen along with Carthy/Swarbrick's reunion tour circa early 90's (Life & Limb record came from recordings during that tour.) Lena Willemark of course, plays with Ale in both Frifot, and the Nordan Project.

Tallroth of course is in Väsen, and is one several of Annbjørg Lien's records. I tried to get a go-ahead from Acoustic Guitar to do a piece on him (5 or 6 years ago), but they had no interest in it at all. (I'd previously done a couple of cover pieces - John Cephas, Martin Carthy, and one on Cajun David Doucet). #Arto Järvelä (from JPP) turned me on to them in '92, when he spent a few days at our place. (They were Arto's favorite band at the time, btw.) The early albums are on the Swedish Drone label.

I'm not really familiar with the other names.

I love Garmarna, which is as much as rock band as it is folk. Evidently they did a jamband festival tour in the US 5+ years ago, and why they didn't break through (here) at that point, I don't know, cause all the younger players (18-30) that heard them, or I turned them onto loved them. There's also Hedningarna (Swede/Finn), in a similar vein, but I like Garmarna more. #If you think "heavy rock Swedish Fairport Convention" then you'll dig Hoven Droven.

Groupa is also 1st rate. (Kari Reiman - ex fiddler of Värttina's favorite band). If you like Frifot, you'll like them. Bäsk is good too - unusual lineup of fiddle/sax/flute.

Maybe I've got 50 or so discs of Swedish stuff, but there's probably 5 times as much out of Finland on the shelves.

Niles H

**Peter Hackman** · Oct-11-2007, 2:01pm

Originally Posted by (SternART @ Oct. 11 2007, 10:49)

Couldn't find this CD @ NorthSide but they do have the Nyckelharpa Orchestra.
I'd like to see/hear that! #What is the best source for this quintet CD with
Mike & Darol?

Amazon or Elderly I.

**Paul Kotapish** · Oct-11-2007, 2:51pm

Originally Posted by (Peter Hackman @ Oct. 11 2007, 07:52)

JUL I FOLKTON
Ale Möller, Sofia Karlsson, Lena Willemark,Sara Isaksson, Esbjörn Hazelius, Olle Linder, Roger Tallroth #m fl

I'll fill in a few that Niles missed.

Sofia Karlsson is a Norwegian singer that is (or was) part of Groupa, a wonderful pan-Scan band with some great albums. I particularly like the way they use bass clarinet as the basis for their accompaniment grooves.

Lena Willemark has also performed and recorded with Groupa, and she's another wonderful singer--from Sweden.

Sara Isaksson is also a singer, with roots in both the trad and pop worlds. Not sure who she's with these days, but she's recorded with both Sofia and Lena.

Esbjörn Hazelius is a multi-instrumentalist--fiddle, cittern, etc. He plays in several bands including Eitre and Quilty, and is at home in several idioms, including traditional Irish music.

Olle Linder is a double-bass player who is often found in the company of the folks mentioned above.

BTW, Niles, Acoustic Guitar has done a number of stories about Scandinavian music and musicans over the years. I wrote a profile of Väsen and Frifot called "Swedish Invasion" that appeared in the August 1999 issued , and Scott Nygaard and Sue Thompson have both contributed articles and reviews featuring Roger and others.

**mandocrucian** · Oct-11-2007, 4:00pm

I never really knew the names of the Groupa folks though I've get a few of their discs.

Originally Posted by

BTW, Niles, Acoustic Guitar has done a number of stories about Scandinavian music and musicans over the years. I wrote a profile of Väsen and Frifot called "Swedish Invasion" that appeared in the August 1999 issued , and Scott Nygaard and Sue Thompson have both contributed articles and reviews featuring Roger and others.

Well, it was probably further back when I approaced Acoustic Guitar about Tallroth. I can't remember when it was, but it was before the JPP/Annbjorg Lien/Vasen tour for Northside, cause I would have interviewed him at The Birchmere. At the time, the editor didn't have any idea he or they were.

(I had done a piece on the Kaustinen Fest for Strings in 1996 (or early 97), giving Vasen and Gjallarhorn the big raves.)

"Folk Music In Finland" (part 1)

NH

**Peter Hackman** · Oct-13-2007, 10:23am

Originally Posted by (Paul Kotapish @ Oct. 11 2007, 15:51)

Originally Posted by (Peter Hackman @ Oct. 11 2007, 07:52)

JUL I FOLKTON
Ale Möller, Sofia Karlsson, Lena Willemark,Sara Isaksson, Esbjörn Hazelius, Olle Linder, Roger Tallroth #m fl

I'll fill in a few that Niles missed.

Sofia Karlsson is a Norwegian singer that is (or was) part of Groupa, a wonderful pan-Scan band with some great albums. I particularly like the way they use bass clarinet as the basis for their accompaniment grooves.

Lena Willemark has also performed and recorded with Groupa, and she's another wonderful singer--from Sweden.

Olle Linder is a double-bass player who is often found in the company of the folks mentioned above.

BTW, Niles, Acoustic Guitar has done a number of stories about Scandinavian music and musicans over the years. I wrote a profile of Väsen and Frifot called "Swedish Invasion" that appeared in the August 1999 issued , and Scott Nygaard and Sue Thompson have both contributed articles and reviews featuring Roger and others.

Karlsson is a typically Swedish name - definitely in the top ten- so I did a little googling; indeed she's Swedish, and you can hear her on Tallroth's Myspace page: Flickan och kråkan (The Girl and the Crow).

Think I will save up for this:

http://profile.myspace.com/index.c....3798386

**Paul Kotapish** · Oct-14-2007, 10:28pm

Originally Posted by (Peter Hackman @ Oct. 13 2007, 08:23)

Karlsson is a typically Swedish name - definitely in the top ten- so I did a little googling; indeed she's Swedish, and you can hear her on Tallroth's Myspace page: Flickan och kråkan (The Girl and the Crow).

My mistake. Thanks for the correction. Great singer.