Live på Gamla Bion (NorthSide DS01322NORT, 2014)
Through years of hard work and touring, Swedish band Väsen has become one of the leading Nordic folk music ensembles. Their live album Live på Gamla Bion is a great opportunity to catch with these masters of contemporary Swedish folk rooted in tradition.
Live på Gamla Bion is a 2-disc set that includes a CD and the video version on DVD of the live performance made at an old movie theater called Gamla Bion in Örsundsbro (Uppsala, Sweden).
Most of the material on Live på Gamla Bion are original compositions by the three band members together with a handful of traditional tunes. The three musicians are perfectly coordinated and deliver outstanding performances that combine musical beauty with virtuosity.
Väsen’s music is characterized by the sound of the nyckelharpa, the rare bowed instrument that fascinates audiences. The nyckelharpa provides fabulous interplay with the fiddle and guitar. You can see this clearly in the DVD version of the set.
The DVD also includes footage of the theater, the audience, and Swedish-language interviews with band members subtitled in English.
Väsen lineup: Mikael Marin on viola and violin; Olov Johansson on 3-row chromatic nyckelharpa, kontrabasharpa; and Roger Tallroth on 12-string guitar, Swedish bouzouki.
Väsen chose Gamla Bion specifically because of the wonderful acoustics, welcoming audience and the warm atmosphere. Thus, Live på Gamla Bion showcases the ensemble in a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. It’s Väsen at its best, playing some of its most memorable pieces.
Buy Live på Gamla Bion digital version
Purchase CD from vasen.se
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
