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Artist News: Bjorn J:son Lindh To Guest At IB Expo 2006

Posted on Tuesday, August 22 @ 03:21:44 UTC by nightowl

Isildur's Bane writes: We are very proud to announce that our final prominent guest at IB Expo 2006 will be our dear friend Bj?orn J:son Lindh. For our Swedish subscribers, he is a household name, of course, but to our foreign readers, here's a brief presentation.

Bj?rn J:son Lindh:stellar musician, highly regarded composer, award-winning composer of film music, unique improviser.



Having studied at the prestigious school of music at Ingesund and later the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, Bj?rn started his career in the 60s playing flute and piano in jazz and rock groups. In the early 70s, he became the first call studio musician on flute in Sweden and worked with such diverse but renowned names as singer/songwriter Cornelis Vreeswijk, US legend Lee Hazelwood, pop icons ABBA, and distinguished art music composer Bo Nilsson.

Despite his heavy studio schedule, Bj?rn managed to record and release five albums under his own name during the first half of the 70s. While working as a session musician, Bj?rn met and befriended guitarist Janne Schaffer, with whom he formed a one-of-a-kind team that has been going on for more than thirty years now with various line-ups. His music stretches from classical via fusion and world music to atmospheric laid back music. In various settings, he has played with such luminaries as Staffan Scheja, Jan Akkerman and Mike Oldfield.

Having released more than 20 CDs, Bj?rn music is well known to most Swedes. But the fact is, most people don't realize that they have heard a lot of Bj?rn music without knowing it. Earlier this year, Bj?rn Lindh was the first composer to be awarded the film music prize at the Gothenburg film festival. Millions have heard his soundtracks to movies such as Kjell Berglund's J?garna; Susanne Osten's Br?derna Mozart; Pelle Berglund's Den Demokratiske Terroristen; Lasse ?berg's H?lsoresan and two movies by the late great Bo Widerberg, Mannen P? Taket and Mannen fr?n Mallorca.

As a flute improviser, he is second to none. With a vast range of expressions, from a percussive breath in his flute to a shrieking recorder note that will ring with you for a long time after you heard it.

Here's what Mats has to say about Bj?rn J:son Lindh:

"I am really pleased to have Bj?rn come to IB Expo. To me, he is one of Sweden's most original musicians with a musical language of his own, and a brilliant composer to boot. Bj?rn J:son Lindh is probably the most Swedish-sounding music around today, and his music will survive us all. Timeless, dramatic, romantic, technically complex and with an outstanding feel for improvisations. Always with complete control over his instrument.

"Few composers write such beautiful melodies as Bj?rn and his humbleness is contagious. If you mention a striking crying theme he wrote, his answer might be 'yes, well, you know, I nicked that from Puccini' accompanied by a smile.

'Working with Bj?rn is always a joy. The first time I met him was when we recorded Cheval, which Janne Schaffer produced, hence Bj?rn's presence on the record. I especially recall recording 'The Aged' where Janne and Bj?rn did a first take of a free improvisation. Time stood still in the studio. One take was all that was required. Bj?rn left the recording room with the words 'You can't do that twice.' Since then, he has been a returning guest on most of IB's albums.

"His personality is such that I sometimes wonder whether it was me or Bj?rn who composed the music. He takes command of the music in a very positive way. By his way of playing, he has taught me that there is so much outside the score in IB's music. His sound has become a part of Isildurs Bane's sound, which makes us very proud and happy."

A magnificent Swedish composer and musician comes to IB Expo 06. Great!?

Bj?rn's also a crossword-whiz and a painter. Go to his website: http://www.bjson.se/.

The IB Expo concert will take place on Saturday, October 21 at 19.30 at Kulturhuset in Halmstad. You will hear individual performances by the acts and unheard-of interactions between the musicians involved.

Make sure you get a ticket, by pre-ordering your ticket. Simply e-mail me at thomas (at) isildursbane.se leaving your name, address and e-mail address. I will then reserve tickets for you to be picked up on the day of the concert, October 21, 2006. I will send a reminder to those of you who have reserved tickets. Tickets are priced 150 Swedish kronor.

Please note that there are only 166 seats in the house and reservations have started to roll in.

[Source: Isildur's Bane]

Posted in Band News (tours, comings/goings, etc)