I can count on one hand the number of Swedish R&B bands I’ve written about. I’m sure there are plenty out there, but how many are doing their own material and not simply aping the Motown bands of the 60′s?

Oh Oh! is one. The band is small by R&B standards but still includes between 6-8 musicians. Helena Lundström is the lead singer and it’s her voice along with the strident arrangements that propels these songs forward.

Grass Isn’t Greener On the Other Side
Naked

Here’s a little end of the day nugget courtesy of Youtube of Oskar Schönning Trio performing last month at the Lilla Hotellbaren in Hotel Scandic Malmen in Stockholm. Oskar is also in the Loney, Dear band but I’m guessing this is wear his true heart lies. Looks like a great little club and the trio is burning up. Enjoy!

In all of music there may not be any ensemble, group or band that is more capable than the jazz trio. To hear each instrument occupying it’s own space and then coming together as a whole is a wondrous thing. Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans and Oscar Peterson may have defined the form but increasingly the future of jazz and the trio itself can be found in parts of Europe and Scandinavia.

Open Trio is a Swedish jazz group that’s been together for over 6 years. They play a structured improvizational style of jazz. The song “Heartland” from their upcoming release Goodbye Every Time (Found You Recordings) was composed by the band’s leader/piano player Joakim Simonsson. But it’s the interplay of all three musicians (bass, drums and piano) that makes this special. All three players have terrific solos and when the group comes back together for the finale it’s simply thrilling. You can pre-order the new record here at DotShop.

Heartland

From the band’s 2003 debut Farger:

Av Längton, Av Glädje