Jens Johansson: Ten Seasons
About HECD-008
TEN SEASONS
PianomusikJag förnimmer bilder av dimmiga ryska atomstäder, tyngdlöst vrakgods i en kaosdans, ett litet ljus som tänds i ett oändligt mörker. Känslor. Varats dragningskraft på det ännu icke varande. Förnuftets tunga ben, ordlösa samtal invid en ljummen och myllrande flod, rytande bergskedjor som motvilligt tar form. Jordnära, varma kvinnor i en delirisk Bukowskinovell. Fred. En blodfläckad hand. Ett Guernica i spillror. Och likväl rör hon sig. Planeten rullar vidare i intet.
Men du kanske ser helt andra bilder, om du lyssnar efter. Det här är Jens Johanssons första skiva med solopianoimprovisationer. Förhoppningsvis kommer det att bli fler. Skivan är inspelad i den världsberömde konstnären Mark Kostabis ateljé i New York. Det digitala ljudet är transparent, helt ofärgat, som ringar på kristallklart vatten. Men man kan nästan höra granträt i flygeln andas. Skivan tog tre varma, regniga sensommarkvällar att spela in.
"Det är musik för öronen, snarare än för fingrarna," säger Jens om ten seasons. "Jag har ofta suttit och lekt vid flygeln i hotellvestibuler, eller så, och fått höra att jag borde spela in en improviserad solopianoskiva. Och så plötsligt infann sig möjligheten, i en någorlunda avspänd och kreativ atmosfär. Tanken var att bara slappna av och spela vad som föll mig in."
Och så fick det bli. Dessa "tio årstider" eller "tio tillfällen" är resultatet.
--Matthias Wihrell
Lund, Febrauri, 1995
Track info + sleeve text (ten seasons)
1. dance of chaos2. dark skies
3. ghosts of the yellow river (a. burning in water, b. south of no north, c. thirst, d. drowning in flame)
4. lullaby
5. el sou-sou
6. the last days of peace
7. three shadows (a. transparent reality, b. a broken thought, the mist of reason)
8. hot water music
9. women
10. coherent dreams
When I was asked to record an album of improvised piano music I was hesitant at first. The delicate flow of creativity is impaired by the recording process. Fleeting moments of musical truth can evaporate when confronted with the distractions and deadlines of a commercial recording studio. But the opportunity to record in a very relaxed atmosphere arose. The Kostabi World art gallery in New York is also home to a Steinway grand piano, which I graciously was allowed to use. The spacious rooms are lined with the most incredible art. Armed with tube microphones, a pair of preamps and a DAT recorder I spent a few rainy days there. This record is the result. - Jens Johansson
Recorded direct to DAT, live at Kostabi World in New York. Engineer: Werner Kracht. Many thanks to Mark and Ena Kostabi, and Betsy Kelly.
Ten Seasons is the first solo piano effort of world-renowned Swedish keyboardist Jens Johansson. Swedish press called it "exciting and projective" and "rich in association and saturated with atmosphere". (55 minutes)
Benny Jansson: Virtual Humanity
About HECD-009
Pressrelease om Virtual Humanity
Melodiös gitarrmusik!Studiomusikern Benny Janssons debutsoloskiva. Instrumental gitarrmusik a la Satriani och Jeff Beck. Medverkande musiker är Anders Johansson, trummor och Fille Lindström, bas.
Benny Jansson har länge tillhört de mest anlitade studiomusikerna i Sverige. Han har medverkat på ett otal inspelningar med flera framstående artister. Nu släpper Benny sin första soloskiva! Musiken då? Benny har valt att spela instrumental gitarrmusik med vackra melodier. Låtarna spänner från den finstämdaste jazz till lite tyngre tongångar. Gillar man instrumentalmusik så gillar man denna skiva. -Jag spelade in den musik jag själv tycker om att lyssna till, anlitade några musikervänner och blev nöjd med resultatet, säger Benny. Vi försökte fånga varje styckes speciella stämning och spelade in när humöret var på topp. En spontan och vital inspelning enligt min mening och därför har vi kallat skivan "Virtual humanity".
Info from cover of Virtual Humanity
Track listing:
Virtual humanity 3:35From Earth to moon 3:17
Mystery 4:55
A blue shining world 3:07
Time machine 3:40
From winter to summer 3:08
In a hot pursuit 4:25
Late night blues 4:42
Mr. Nobody 5:09
Travel at the speed of sound 2:51
Flaming ball 3:48
Lucky steel 4:34
Recorded by Jörgen Svensson & Benny Jansson
Mixed by Jörgen Svensson, Benny Jansson & Anders Johansson
Recorded and mixed at Sheep Valley studios, Tyresö, Sweden
All songs written and arranged by Benny Jansson
All songs published by Heptagon Publishing
Photography by Alex Gromulka, Pernilla Elmquist & Viveca Hagqvist
Cover design by Benny Jansson, Conny Bergkvist & Sussie Bergkvist
Repro by Hans Kretz, JPB-Scanner, Malmö, Sweden
Mastering by Krister Olsson, Stage Tech, Malmö, Sweden
BENNY JANSSON - GUITAR and BASS* ANDERS JOHANSSON - DRUMS CLAES "FILLE" LINDSTRÖM - BASS
Benny Jansson thanks list:
Thanks to Anders Johansson with family (Pernilla and Kalle), Else Johansson, Jens Johansson, Claes "Fille" Lindström, Jörgen Svensson, Björn, Jessica and Freddie Jansson, Sussie and Conny Bergkvist, Reklamfyren, Thomas Brandt, Millis, Thomas Jansson, Jörgen Andersson, Leon Kristensen, Annika and Joch, Ronald Sergei Bood, Zemya Hamilton, Erika, Svullo, David at Estrad, Bobby Ljunggren, Håkan Almqvist, Roger Kindstrand, Johan Larsson, State of mind, Jimmy, Sarah, Anita Törnblom, Birger Eriksson, Jörgen Holmstedt and Janne Stark. Special Thanks to Anders and Jens Johansson, Claes "Fille" Lindström, Jörgen Svensson, Sussie and Conny Bergkvist.Extra Special Thanks to my wife Carina Jansson, without your support and understanding all this would never have been possible. I can never thank you enough. I Love you!
To everybody I may have forgotten, please forgive me.
Anders Johansson plays Pearl drums, Sabian cymbals and uses Promark sticks and Remo drum heads. Anders thanks Kazu Yoshizawa and Wayne Blanchard.
Fille wants to thank Vivi, Deluxe Music, Johnny Wedebrand and Gitarrtorget.
This record was recorded and mixed between November 25 and 27, 1994 with the Heptagon mobile at the premises of Sheep Valley Studios. A DA-88 digital eight track machine was used. There is no synthesizer or computer on this record. Mr. Nobody and Lucky steel was recorded at Anders mothers basement.
Benny Jansson is one of the hottest Swedish guitarists today. On Virtual Humanity, his first solo record, he presents an exciting mixture of jazz and heavy metal. (48 minutes)
Anders/Jens Johansson & Allan Holdsworth: Heavy Machinery
About HECD-011
English press release
Anders and Jens Johansson gained fame in the eighties as unusually competent sidemen in metal bands like Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force, Dio, Blue Murder and BBC, but they have since those days kept busy recording instrumental records such as this one. Here, they are assisted by the guitarists’ guitarist; Allan Holdsworth, who has been called one of the five most important guitarists of this century, and who has produced a string of acclaimed records as a leader. The music on this record, however, is probably heavier than most of Allan’s previous session work. The listener is presented with plenty of nuances, but fresh, unpolished grooves prevail. There are involute melodies and the kind of fluent, keen, melodic improvisations that are Allan’s and Jens’ trademark, and the trio is powered by Anders dynamic yet sometimes uncompromisingly brutal drum work. Friends of sophisticated instrumental music will not be disappointed, but there’s undoubtedly something here for others to tap their feet to as well.Svensk pressrelease
Tung CD med världsgitarristen Allan Holdsworth.Bröderna Johansson är kanske mest kända för sina framgångar i olika heavy metal-band med världsrykte som Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, Dio, Blue Murder och BBC men de har också en parallell karriär inom instrumentalmusiken.
På denna skiva samarbetar de med gitarristernas gitarrist; Allan Holdsworth. Allan, som valts till en av århundradets fem mest betydelsefulla gitarrister, gör här sin kanske tyngsta platta någonsin. Allan spelar ofta på skivor med den absoluta världseliten som Michael Brecker, Level 42, Stanley Clarke, Jean Luc Ponty etc men har också en avsevärd solokarriär bakom sig med många fina inspelningar under eget namn.
Heavy Machinery har fått lysande kritik i både USA och Japan där den redan betraktas som "årets höjdare". Det är en nyansrik skiva och man kan ofta höra en befriande råhet som är sällsynt för denna genre. Här finns järnhårt sväng, koncisa, finurliga melodier, och de lättflytande, skärpta, melodiösa improvisationer som är Allans och Jens varumärke. Jens har lyckats med den i stort sett omöjliga uppgiften att avlösa Allans flödande ekvilibristiska men ändå varmt klingande solon. Anders dynamiskt svängande och kompromisslöst brutala trumspel är motorn i denna powertrio.
Vänner av extrem instrumentalmusik lär inte bli besvikna, men här finns även mycket för andra att stampa takten till. Skivan är inspelad 1996 i New York, Los Angeles och Växjö.
Kortare pressrelese på Svenska
Allan Holdsworth - gitarr, Jens Johansson - keyboards och Anders Johansson - trummor, blir en oöverträffad kombination. Alla tre har en imponerande meritlista. Allan Holdsworth är kanske den mest uppskattade gitarristen inom den moderna instrumentalmusiken någonsin. Tillsammans med bröderna Johansson spelar han en tung och brutal instrumental musik. Allans och Jens ekvilibristiskt virtuosa men ändå varmt melodiösa soloprestationer stöds av Anders rappa och framfusiga trumspel. En skiva som redan fått lysande kritik i både USA och Japan.
Info from record cover
Track listing
1. Joint Ventures [5:48]2. Beef Cherokee [4:02]
3. On the Frozen Lake [4:52]
4. Mission: Possible [5:15]
5. Good Morning, Mr. Coffee [7:25]
6. Siouxp of the Day [4:02]
7. On the Fritz [5:24]
8. Tea for One and a Half [6:22]
9. Never Mind our Weather [5:54]
10. Macrowaves [1:09]
Total Time: 50:13
Production credits
Recorded at Starec studios, Växjö and Moon Path (Sweden); the Brewery (California) and 71st street recording (New York). Digital transfers by Nolan Moffitte and Yoram Vazan at Firehouse, NYC. All tracks composed, engineered, mixed and produced by Jens and Anders Johansson. Mastered at Stage Tech, Malmö, Sweden by Krister Olsson. Cover design by Alvar Mostersson/DWI. Repro by Hans Kretz, JPB Scanner, Malmö. Anders wishes to thank Pearl Drums and Sabian Cymbals.
Session notes
About the songs: Joint Ventures is not a song about drug dealers. Solos by Allan, Jens. Beef Cherokee came into being when there was a little stump of 24 track tape left on a reel that needed to be filled. Solo by Allan, and by Anders to some extent thru the whole track. Anders once found himself On the Frozen Lake outside Korpilombolo in northern Sweden. Solos by Anders and Allan. Mission: Possible is a blues in 11/4, and has solos by Jens and Allan. Good Morning, Mr. Coffee is a good representation of what can happen when too much coffee is imbibed. Solos in this order: JJ, AH, (trade solos) JJ; AH; JJ; AH; JJ. Siouxp of the Day is a little prelude to On the Fritz, which features a groovy 7/4 beat and yet another great solo by Allan. Tea for One and a Half. I'm half the man I used to be, would you like some tea? Solos: JJ, AH, JJ. Never Mind our Weather was inspired by the terrible weather in Sweden. Solos: AH, JJ. Macrowaves is a little improvized "filler piece" by JJ.Heavier than most of Allan's previous session work. Plenty of nuances, and fresh, unpolished grooves. Nice melodies and fluent, keen, melodic improvisations. Dynamic yet uncompromisingly brutal drum work. Friends of sophisticated instrumental music will not be disappointed. (51 minutes)
The Colubrids
The progenitors of Swedish power pop make their Heptagon debut with 14 strong pop songs. Part of the same scene/sound/movement as Brainpool and Cardigans. (51 minutes)
Anders Johansson: Red Shift
About HECD-015
English Press release
Red Shift is a remarkable record. Drummer/producer Anders Johansson paints fourteen sketches frozen in motion, fourteen portraits of the changing world we live in. One moment you're in a wash of deafening drum din from a shed in northeastern China, the next moment you find yourself in trance in a racing Siberian box car. One moment you relax to the calming rhythms of a freight train in a drowsy Syrian suburb, but before you know it you're back in the somber concert halls and electronic music studios of Western Europe. Always, you wake up in a world so full of astounding timbres, that you catch a glimpse of how paradoxically small it actually is. Perhaps that is how Anders sees it. Anders started his career as a sideman to metal acts such as Yngwie and Blue Murder. During his many journeys since then, Anders has exchanged ideas, and collected experiences, performances and sounds. On this record he has succeeded in finding a link between Europe's millennium-long tradition of serious music and the rest of the world. The link is rhythm and pulse. With the help of musicians from Europe, China and the Middle East he creates sonic panoramas that sparkle with creative energy. Through hyper-modern sonic processing, the musicians' performances are given a very dramatic framework, and as a listener you never get bored. There's always something happening, but behind this playfulness is a seriousness, and a reverent attitude. Anders says: "I've tried to build a bridge over the chasm between the North and the rest of the world. This feels important to me, in a world that shrinks every day, but thankfully also seems larger, because more of it is in view." He shows that he has matured a bit as a producer since his first, widely acclaimed solo record, Shu-Tka. His old friend Jonas Hellborg plays fretless and fretted basses on many of the tracks. Anders also demonstrates that he still has the monster drum chops of a master, chops that never really came to light in his metal days. But in many ways, the world is a lot freer nowadays. And thankfully, a lot smaller.Svensk Pressrelease
Anders Johansson: Red ShiftAndra soloskivan
Detta är en märklig skiva. Anders Johansson målar här fjorton ögonblicksbilder, fjorton i rörelsen frusna porträtt av den föränderliga, värld vi alla lever i. Än översköljs du av öronbedövande trumlarm i ett skjul i sydöstra Kina, än finner du dig i trans i en godsvagn på väg till Sibirien. Än njuter du av tågtrafikens lugnande rytmer i en dåsig förort i Syrien, men snart är du tillbaks i Västeuropas strama konserthallar och elektronmusiklabb. Alltid vaknar du upp i en värld så full av häpnadsväckande klanger, att du skymtar hur paradoxalt liten den egentligen är. För det är kanske så Anders upplever den.
Han säger: "Den här skivan är en sorts hemkomst för mig. Jag har försökt överbrygga klyftan mellan nordisk musik och musiken från resten av världen. Detta känns viktigt i en värld som krymper varje dag, men som lyckligtvis förefaller större, för att man ser mer av den."
Under sina många resor genom åren i utbytet och samarbetets tecken har Anders samlat upplevelser, framföranden och ljud. På den här skivan har han lyckats hitta en länk mellan Europas långa musiktradition och orientens. Länken är rytmen och pulsen. Med hjälp av musiker från Europa, Kina och Mellanöstern skapar han ljudterränger som sprudlar av kreativ energi. Genom hypermodern elektronisk klangbearbetning ges musikernas framföranden en mycket dramatisk inramning, och man har aldrig tråkigt. Det är alltid något som händer.
Men bakom lekfullheten finns ett allvar och en vördnadsfull inställning. Det är egentligen en skiva som handlar om människan, om hennes relation till världen, och det glädjande budskapet är att allt fortfarande är väl.
En kortare release i annan version
Under sina många resor genom åren har Anders samlat upplevelser, framföranden och ljud. På den här skivan har han lyckats hitta en länk mellan Europas musiktradition och resten av världen. Länken är rytmen och pulsen. Med hjälp av musiker från Europa, Kina och Mellanöstern skapar han ljudterränger som sprudlar av kreativ energi. Bland de europeiska musikerna hittar vi bl a Jonas Hellborg, Helmut Wechsler och Jens Johansson. Genom hypermodern elektronisk klangbearbetning ges musikernas framföranden en mycket dramatisk inramning.En väldigt intressant skiva med mycket extrema rytmer, och en värdig uppföljare till den förra kritikerrosade soloskivan, Shu-tka. 64 minuter.
Information from record cover
Track listing
1. Blue Shift2. Imagniative ocean
3. Boxcar to Novosibirsk
4. Blues for FZ
5. Polynesian chant/Balinese funeral march
6. Nigerian oasis
7. Point blank in Punjab
8. After the storm
9. Zarba
10. Sheet
11. The dance of the ghost
12. Southeast - Northwest
13. Elif air ab tizak
14. Polymorph
Anders’ notes from the sessions
1 Blue Shift 5:05 (Johansson)Anders: kit drums, Jonas Hellborg: bass, Jamal Evans: keyboards
2 Imagniative ocean 3:53 (Trad. arr: Johansson)
Here Aydin is improvising over a plaintive folk song from Turkey. Can
you hear the wind punishing the sand mountains of the middle Eastern
lowlands?
Anders: chimes, Aydin Özgöröt: nay, Jamal Evans: wind noise
3 Boxcar to Novosibirsk 4:35 (Johansson/Hellborg)
Ahmed Alamnaghasi played the lead trade solo on tuned Afghani-cymbals
and I played the trade solo answer on the matraga with it´s
resonance-cymbal attached. The rhythm track was played on drums, bata
and korsi hadid.
Jonas Hellborg: electric bass
4 Blues for FZ 5:13 (Johansson)
In this more formal composition for drum kit, marimba, tubular bells,
Hammond organ and bass, I am trying to explore the metric relationship
between a few prime numbers. To make it more interesting, the time of 8,
4 or even 2 1/4 units of the basic pulse is divided by these prime
number into metric components. These are usually called tuplets, but in
the case of uneven amounts of time being subdivided, the tuplet
classification becomes unwieldy. The case of 15 beats over 11 32nds,
like in bar 10-11 for instance, would become '43 7/11-tuplets'.
The
piece was rather difficult to learn, and even harder to play since this
level of rythmic complexity is rarely used in contemporary music. The
sheet music for the drum part can be found on page 6 and 7 in this
booklet. Dedicated to Frank Zappa and heavily inspired by his "Black
Page".
Anders: drum set; Jens Johansson: organ, tubular bells and synth bass;
Helmut Wechsler: marimba
5 Polynesian chant / Balinese funeral march 4:01 (Trad. arr: Johansson)
Ahmed Alamnaghasi and Rashed Al-Tabacsh know a group of amazing singers
and percussionists from Bali. They happened to be in Europe so we got
together in a studio to record a few tracks. This one is an arrangement
of an old Polynesian folksong and a funeral march from Bali. I played
the matraga and ride cymbal. Ahmed Alamnagassi played korsi hadid and
Rashed Al-Tabacsh led the vocal group and sang (lead) vocals. All other
instruments are played by The Balinese percussion ensemble.
6 Nigerian oasis 4:02 (Johansson/Hellborg)
The sun is in zenith, a light breeze. Palm trees thriving but the desert
is vast and unforgiving. Jonas Hellborg (bass) begins, then I (temple
bell and oud) and finally Jens (keyboards) join in.
7 Point blank in Punjab 5:49 (Trad. arr: Johansson)
An old Hindustani folk song arranged specially for Mr. Dong. Even though
he is Chinese, he has studied the music of northern and southern India
well.
Mr. Dong: tabla and soprano voice; Anders: muffled drum kit and alto
voice; Jens Johansson: lappish noitarumpu-hand drum from Finland (with
the thinnest skin), Jamal Evans: tamboura and tala keeping
8 After the storm 5:18 (Johansson)
Anders: chimes and keyboards
9 Labdash (Zarba) 3:32 (Johansson)
A solo played in the style of North African drumming, approached in the
northern, linear way of thinking and freely translated to the kit.
Anders: muffled kit drums, cymbals and bells
10 Sheet 5:16 (Trad. arr: Johansson)
Mahmud Bendi calls out to the ancient gods in an old folklore hymn.
Nabil Drigal, Haile Abebe and Nabil Haiat played the overdubbed
orchestral parts (Azerbajdzjani balalaikas, viola) I played lute, bata,
temple bell and Burmese bell. Jens later overdubbed the keyboards. All
musicians stomped their feet in the 3 - beat rhythm.
11 Dance of the ghost 5:09 (Johansson)
We recorded this piece in an old shack in the deep, dark forest near
Kunming in South eastern China together with Mr. Dong and some local
musicians from the Yi-people. The musicians had almost never seen a
European person and thought I looked like a white ghost. There is a four
man strong rhythm section and Mr. Dong and I played the double shiwigas
(high-pitched and low pitched) and it’s us that trade solos after the
arranged part.
12 Southeast - Northwest 5:40 (Johansson)
Ahmed Alamnaghasi, messelal and Haile Abebe, clay-messelal; Anders, drum
set, riqq and krkaba. Vocal improvisation by Dieter Köpfke, tenor.
13 Elif air ab tizak 5:16 (Johansson/Hellborg)
Near our hotel in Damascus, Syria there were some interesting sounding
trains going by. We got them on tape. Later Jonas got inspired by these
sounds and added his part of the dialogue.
Anders: train collage; Jonas Hellborg: electric basses
14 Polymorph 3:47 (Johansson)
I wrote this piece for the multi-talented Jamal Evans to perform on the
stepless Clarinetini™. It had the sympathetic lower resonance tube
connected.
Production credits
This record was recorded in: Malmö, Sweden; Berlin, Germany, Kunming; China and Damascus, Syria.
Produced by Anders Johansson.
Co produced by Jens Johansson
Mixed by Anders Johansson and Jens Johansson.
Mastered by Krister Olsson.
Repro by Hans Kretz.
Cover photo by Albert Wiking.
Other photos by Krister Hansson and Anders Johansson.
Artwork by Alvar Mostersson/DWI.
Thanks to the Culture ministry of China, Åke Ängström, The Balinese percussion ensemble, Jonas Hellborg and Albert Wiking Thanks to Pearl Drums and Sabian Cymbals. Dieter Köpfke appears courtesy of Polydor Records GmbH, Germany.
Drummer/producer Anders Johansson paints fourteen sketches pulsating with rhythm. With the help of musicians from Europe, China and the Middle East he creates sonic panoramas that sparkle with creative energy. On this record he has succeeded in finding a link between Europe's millennium-long tradition of serious music and the rest of the world. Jonas Hellborg plays fretless and fretted basses on many of the tracks. Anders also demonstrates that he still has the monster drum chops of a master. Features Jamal Evans, Dieter Köpfke, and others.
(67 minutes)
Jens Johansson: Fission
About HECD-016
Information from the record cover
Personnel
Jens Johansson: keyboardsAnders Johansson: drum kit, percussion
Shawn Lane: guitar
Mike Stern: guitar
Track listing
1 Hooded Strangers (10:41) AJ: drum kit, JJ: keyboards. Solos: JJ - polysix, SL - guitar.2 Phase Camouflage (6:48) AJ: drum kit, JJ: keyboards. Solos: AJ - drum kit, MS - guitar
3 Zero Sum Game (3:36) JJ: keyboards
4 Acrostic Shibboleth (8:12) AJ: drum kit, JJ: keyboards. Solos: JJ - polysix, MS - guitar, SL - guitar
5 Don't Mention the War (10:48) AJ: drum kit, JJ: keyboards. Solos: JJ - polysix
6 Race Condition (7:32) AJ: drum kit, JJ: keyboards. Solos: JJ - polysix, MS - guitar, AJ - drums
7 Crowd Tectonics (6:14) AJ: drum kit and percussion, JJ: keyboards. Solos: JJ (sax), JJ (piano)
8 Nystagmus (3:58) AJ: drum kit, JJ: keyboards.
9 Beautiful Lung Dogs (10:45) (Bonus track, for Earth only) JJ: keyboards.
Total Time: 68:39
All titles composed by Jens Johansson / Swinesong (ASCAP)
Production credits
Basic tracks for 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 recorded at a Moon Path Alpha, Malmö, Sweden. Basic tracks for 7 and 8 recorded at Starec Grammophone, Växjö, Sweden. Overdubs recorded at Moon Path A, East Side Recorders, NYC, Big Noise Studios, NYC, and the Heptagon Remote. Overdub engineers: Julian Baker, Werner Kracht, Peter Nilsson and Scud Noonan. Mastered at Stage Tech, Malmö, Sweden, by Krister Olsson. Cover design by Alvar Mostersson/DWI. Repro work by Hans Kretz. Extra special thanks to Andy West, who would have played bass on several of these tracks, were it not for a technical mishap. Anders Johansson wishes to thank Pearl Drums and Sabian Cymbals.Produced by Jens Johansson for Heptagon Records AB
Session notes
Hooded Strangers is built around the number 21 and its factors (3 · 7 = 7 · 3). Nice solo work here by Shawn. As usual, he can project these metrically well-formed structurally dense cascades, even if it's 4:30 in the morning and he only has one or two takes in which to do it. Phase Camouflage has a more basic rapid 14/16 beat, with the common stressing of 7/4. The manic, improvised drum bit in the middle was intended as a sort of solo, but ended up also being a nice foredrop to the beginning of Mike's solo. Zero Sum Game was a completely improvised piece, with some added FM noise for atmosphere. Acrostic Shibboleth is another 7 piece, although this time the basic pulse is slow. The main riff exploits 6 · 3 + 2½ · 4 = 4 · 7. It has a polysix synthesizer solo, then one by Mike, and then by Shawn – we all paint a different picture of the melodic possibilities of the minor-major harmonies. Don't Mention the War, also mainly in 7, is a piece with a more cluttered idea space that explores a subset of the "prog" idiom. Race Condition is a 4-beat track, the only one on the record. Crowd Tectonics (which is in 5) is in the acid fuzak style, and uses tonal corridors and overlapping structure-chunks. Nystagmus is a short piece in 3 · 5 = 5 · 3. Beautiful Lung Dogs, the bonus track for the Earth release of this CD, is a collection of bionic miasma assembled entirely in the digital domain.The record was designed to be played back without equalization at 80-90 dBa on any decent stereo or in headphones. Because the target media was CD, we chose not to compromise the full dynamic and frequency reproduction potential of this medium.
English Press release
On Fission, his third solo record as a keyboardist, composer and producer, Jens is joined by Mike Stern, Anders Johansson and Shawn Lane. Mike has played guitar with legends such as Miles, Jaco, Sanborn and Brecker, and was voted "Jazz guitarist of the year" by the readers of Guitar Player. Shawn is a bit less known, but in musicians' circles he's been talked about for many years as "the worlds fastest guitarist". But don't let that scare you away! Jens himself, and his brother Anders (who plays drums) are perhaps still most famous for their stints in various metal and progressive bands like Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force, Dio and Stratovarius but they've also kept parallel careers, within instrumental music. They've recorded a lot with artists such as Jonas Hellborg and Ginger Baker. Last years' Heavy Machinery, which featured them together with guitarist Allan Holdsworth, got rave reviews all over the world and has sold beyond expectations. But back to Fission. On this record, Jens wields fairly massive chunks of complex material, seemingly without much effort. The musical connections are carefully illuminated and reveal themselves forthright. The music feels fresh and lucid, and avoids the common pitfalls for composers in this genre. There is no heavy metal influence at all, rather, the music has its roots in 70s and 90s progressive rock culture. It's an unusual, remarkable and nuanced mix. At times, you can hear echoes of Mahavishnu, UK and Zappa; at times completely new ground is broken. The interplay feels natural, and the fluent, precise drumming alone is reason enough to sit up and take notice. The three soloists (Jens, Mike, Shawn) show richness in imagination and speed, but also in phrasing and melodic feeling. Jens says: "Why all these odd meters? is a question I often get. Why not? There's already a lot of music in 4/4. Too much! I realize this is perhaps not the most meditative or relaxing record, but that was not the intent. There are a lot of other splendid records that you can relax to, or have as background music. The mission with this record was that fans of extreme fusion not should be disappointed if they buy it. I hope we succeeded."A progressive keyboard record. Features Anders Johansson, and the guitarists Shawn Lane, and Mike Stern. Jens wields fairly massive chunks of complex material, seemingly without much effort. The musical connections are carefully illuminated and reveal themselves forthright. The music feels fresh and lucid, and avoids the common pitfalls for composers in this genre. There is no heavy metal influence at all, rather, the music has its roots in 70s and 90s progressive rock culture. At times, you can hear echoes of Mahavishnu, UK and Zappa; at times completely new ground is broken. The interplay feels natural, and the fluent, precise drumming alone is reason enough to sit up and take notice. The three soloists (Jens, Mike, Shawn) show richness in imagination and speed, but also in phrasing and melodic feeling.
(69 minutes)
Johansson: "The Johansson Brothers" and "Sonic Winter"
Rock music. 2 CDs for the price of one! "The Johansson Brothers" was released in 1994, "Sonic Winter" in 1997. Features Leif Sundin, Anders and Jens, Yngwie Malmsteen, Marcel Jacob, John Levén, and others. (117 minutes / 2 CDs)
Johansson: The Last Viking
Melodic Scandinavian 80s-style metal featuring Jens, Anders, Göran Edman (also formerly with Yngwie) and Mike Romeo (of Symphony X fame). Neoclassical finesse and solid songwriting. Stellar performances, but without the customary noodling.
(49 minutes)
Benny Jansson: Flume Ride
Benny's second solo album of spectacular and very melodic, inventive and tight fusion, in a style similar to those Holdsworth and Henderson popularized. Also features Anders and Jens Johansson, and Patrik Albin. (54 minutes)
Elvis Pelvis
Fresh, updated pop/rock versions of the best Elvis classics. A great party album! Features Jakob Hydén and Anders Johansson. (50 minutes)