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New CD: Jerry Johansson Octet - Circles and Changes

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Shortly after his highly acclaimed and warmly praised cd release Book of dreams (Kning Disk KD058), composer, and for this new release, guitar player, Jerry Johansson comes up with a surprise in his sleeve; a brand new composition for guitar and jazz octet.

Composed, played, executed and produced by Jerry Johansson himself and, for this occasion, his octet; a fine ensemble consisting of eight legendary Swedish jazz men!

After having explored Indian-Swedish themes and states with his sitar and a chamber ensemble from the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra for his three latest releases, Jerry Johansson now turns his energies and skills to the directions and domains of jazz. At the same time, he switches his trademark sitar to electric guitar.

May we present the Jerry Johansson Octet; electric guitar, alto saxophone, two tenor saxophones, baritone saxophone, trumpet, double bass and drums.

Various themes from the very soul and heart of big band jazz rotates around their own orbits; entwines together, changes shapes and forms, continues...

Ladies and Gentlemen, Circles and Changes.

The personal imprint of Johanssons is as always totally present in this work also; east, west, jazz, classical, drones, joyful saxophones, birds, bees, birches, branches and sand.

Remembrances of previous magical Swedish jazz innovators flashes by with the speed of lightning; Lars Gullin, Bengt-Arne Wallin, Georg Riedel, Bengt Ernryd...

But, this must also be said, Circles and changes is in every sense a totally contemporary piece for jazz orchestra; created today FOR today and tomorrow and for all times to come.

Jerry Johansson wholly understands the knowledge of by allowing yourself the freedom to create new works, you both can and MUST be aware of the past and treat your musical heritage with respect and love; this is, after all, the collective musical memories of one and all!

Circles and Changes incorporates all this and much more. This is music for mind, body and soul!

Now, a short background:
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 piece for sitar and a string quartet from the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. 10 months later, the world premiere took place in Hagakyrkan in Gteborg, and shortly thereafter released on cd by Kning Disk (KD008).



Jerry Johanssons next composition for sitar, tambura and string quartet was called Next Door Conversation. This time, a santour is also added to the musical texture. Next Door Conversation was also released on another critically acclaimed cd on Kning Disk in 2007 (KD038).



Jerry Johansson works in his very own tradition, 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 Johanssons 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 Johanssons.



Jerry moves freely as an adventurous musical earth-traveller in the best of senses; combining Indian ways of looking at the world with bare Swedish feet in the glowing grass of the sparkling world known as the ever-present now!

Kning Disk
KD062
Release date: April 2 2009

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