Something Else-Marie

Pentimento refers to the reemergence on canvas of earlier layers, brush strokes, textures and images that an artist has since rethought, changed, painted over. As the painter \" repents,\" he resees his original ideas, and so recreates his painting. Bruno

Råberg, a bassist and composer raised in Sweden, says of this album, \" My folks took me to fiddling festivals when I was a kid. Old lumberjacks and farmers came out of the woods to drink vodka and play fiddles with their cracked hands for three days and nights straight. I never thought of incorporating this music into the pop, rock and jazz I was playing. But recently, I\'ve rediscovered these wonderful native rhythms and melodies, which emerge here on more contemporary instruments. Being away from Sweden several years has given me distance, a fresh perspective on my own musical heritage.\"
Reared on the rugged folk music of the Northland, Råberg was schooled in classical European music while playing and studying contemporary Afro-American music (blues, jazz, pop, funk) . On moving to the States in 1981, he got in touch with \" standards\" and became steeped in more traditional American forms. When it came time to record this, his first album, Råberg thought it over and realized that the various layers of his musical experience had become overwritten and mixed. Hear within what Råberg has reheard.
Fred Bouchard

about the tunes on Pentimento
Curves- has water sprites that usher in a theme of silver droplets that counts equally well in three or four. Anders\' flute and piccolo, and Jamshied\'s trumpetting keyboards, float on top.
Dance of the Nymphs- an angular minor theme with eastern touches, recalls latterday Weather Report, and features solos by Tim on piano, Donny on tenor. Many Swedish folkdances (e.g. the triol polska) have a similar 3/4 feel. This piece superimposes its avant-jazz theme and chords on that foundation.
Bruno\'s arco bass improvisation in Swedish folk-fiddle style (called a Lydar Slått or \"listening piece in Old Norse), serves as pensive prelude to....
Pentimento-Bruno\'s handsome update of the melodic and rhythmic kernel of a past idea, with interludes that gallop into today.Tim, then Donny, is cast in the leisurely, bluesy lead role.
Something Else- revamps a traditional sounding theme for Anders, and melds it into Marie, a sturdily rocking variant of that theme, for Donny. The blend reminds me of Pat Metheny\'s folksy suites as it moves deftly between major and minor.
Erendira- a limpid, quiet samba with Bruno to the fore, features the horns in close harmony. Inspiration came from a poster for the movie of the similary-titled Gabriel Garcia Marquez short story, the seductive dark beauty gazing thoughtfully.
Shadowplay- a more extroverted, jam-style samba, features solos by Anders, Tim, and Donny, and an atmospheric coda.
Global Warming- an angular post-funk anthem with an omnious if veiled ecological message. Bruno plucks bravely and Donny takes a bold solo.
The Lynx- is a slinky, major-minor set-closer over which Bruno might have introduced the band: bluesy piano from Tim, smooth, witty ideas from Donny,(solo) a valediction from Bruno, and power in reserve from Fernando on drums.
annotation by Fred Bouchard