LENA WILLEMARK | ALE MÖLLER – Agram (1996) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Agram represents the second coming of the 'Nordan Project' whose 1994 release Nordan was highly acclaimed. Defined by its co-leaders vocalist Lena Willemark and multi-instrumentalist Ale Möller as 'a meeting-place for Swedish folk musicians and musicians from the world of improvisation,' the group's music is based upon, but not limited by, the Swedish folk tradition. Willemark and Möller select the songs, some of which are hundreds of years old, and write new material and fresh arrangements. Möller's unorthodox biography has included extended stopovers in rock and jazz and Greek music on the way to his current, and enduring, commitment to Swedish folk. Willemark, the daughter of a forest-keeper, embodie's the musical tradition giving it new life with her stunning vocal abilities. Together, the Nordan Project is concerned both with the preservation and the rejuvenation of the folk tradition. Möller and Willemark met ECM's Manfred Eicher by chance in 1992 when the musicians were appearing at a folk-festival while the producer was in town for a Arvo Pärt premiere. Over the next year and half they discussed the form that their collaboration should take and the Nordan Project was born. A key figure in its line-up is bassist Palle Danielsson, who has been associated with ECM almost from the beginning of its history. He has been a member of several important ECM bands including Keith Jarrett's 'Belonging' group, the Jan Garbarek-Bobo Stenson Quartet, the quartets of Enrico Rava and Charles Lloyd. ecm
Tracklist :
1    Syster Glas (Sister Glass) 3'33
Double Bass – Palle Danielsson
Fiddle [Drone-Fiddle] – Mats Edén
Mandola – Ale Möller
Soprano Saxophone – Jonas Knutsson
Written-By – Ale Möller
2    Agram (The Wild Oats) 3'13
Arranged By – Ale Möller
Double Bass – Palle Danielsson
Fiddle [Drone-Fiddle] – Mats Edén
Hammered Dulcimer [Hackbräde (Hammered Dulcimer)] – Ale Möller
Soprano Saxophone – Jonas Knutsson
Vocals, Fiddle – Lena Willemark
Written-By – Lena Willemark
3    Såsom Fågelen (As A Bird) 4'52
Traditional
Arranged By – Ale Möller
Fiddle [Drone-Fiddle] – Mats Edén
Harp [Folk-Harp] – Ale Möller
Soprano Saxophone – Jonas Knutsson
Vocals – Lena Willemark
4    Fastän (Although) 2'47
Arranged By – Ale Möller, Jonas Knutsson, Mats Edén, Tina Johansson
Berimbau – Tina Johansson
Fiddle [Drone-Fiddle] – Mats Edén
Mandola – Ale Möller
Soprano Saxophone – Jonas Knutsson
Written-By – Eva Saether
5    Björnen (The Bear) 5'46
Baritone Saxophone, Vocals – Jonas Knutsson
Double Bass – Palle Danielsson
Lyrics By [Text] – Traditional
Music By – Ale Möller
Percussion, Vocals – Tina Johansson
Performer [Pulse-Iron] – Mats Edén
Trumpet [Wooden Trumpet], Vocals – Ale Möller
Vocals, Voice [Herding Call] – Lena Willemark
6    Samsingen (The Ballad Of Samsingen) 7'22
Traditional
Arranged By – Ale Möller
Double Bass – Palle Danielsson
Fiddle [Drone-Fiddle] – Mats Edén
Mandola – Ale Möller
Percussion – Tina Johansson
Percussion [Additional Percussion] – Jonas Knutsson
Vocals – Lena Willemark
7    Per Andsu Lietjin (The Per Andsu Tune) 2'00
Traditional
Arranged By – Ale Möller, Lena Willemark, Palle Danielsson
Double Bass – Palle Danielsson
Fiddle – Lena Willemark
Mandola – Ale Möller
8    Josef Från Arimatea (Joseph Of Arimathea) 5'32
Traditional
Arranged By – Ale Möller
Lute – Ale Möller
Lyrics By [Text Verses 2 ?– 3] – Stefan Demert
Vocals – Lena Willemark
9    Lager Och Jon (The Ballad Of Lager And Jon) 5'40
Traditional
Arranged By – Ale Möller, Lena Willemark, Mats Edén
Double Bass – Palle Danielsson
Fiddle [Drone-Fiddle] – Mats Edén
Harmonium, Percussion [Additional Percussion] – Jonas Knutsson
Mandola, Shawm [Skalmeja (Shawm)] – Ale Möller
Percussion – Tina Johansson
Vocals, Viola – Lena Willemark
10    Blåmåiri (The Blue Moor) 4'21
Arranged By – Ale Möller
Flute – Ale Möller
Soprano Saxophone – Jonas Knutsson
Vocals – Lena Willemark
Written-By – Lena Willemark
11    Slängpolskor (Fling Dances) 5'02
Traditional
Arranged By – Ale Möller
Double Bass – Palle Danielsson
Fiddle [Drone-Fiddle] – Mats Edén
Percussion – Tina Johansson
Shawm [Skalmeja (Shawm)] – Ale Möller
Viola – Lena Willemark
12    Elvedansen (The Dance Of The Fairies) 8'46
Double Bass – Palle Danielsson
Fiddle [Drone-Fiddle] – Mats Edén
Lute – Ale Möller
Lyrics By [Text] – Traditional
Music By – Ale Möller
Percussion – Tina Johansson
Soprano Saxophone – Jonas Knutsson
Vocals – Lena Willemark
13    Simonpolskan (Simon’s Tune) 4'32
Fiddle [Drone-Fiddle] – Mats Edén
Lute – Ale Möller
Percussion – Tina Johansson
Soprano Saxophone – Jonas Knutsson
Written-By – Ale Möller, Mats Edén