Department of Virtuosity (Poland)
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De Gladas Kapell - Spelar Nilsson
Wow! I wonder if my eyes lie? De Gladas Kapell in the 21st century? I realize that a Swedish band isn't well-known nowadays, but please believe me - they are a true legend. Stefan Nilsson (acoustic piano, mini moog) has always been the leader of the band, however one of the most recognizable musicians is a bassist, Georg Wadenius. You aren't be able to know the likes of Made In Sweden or Solar Plexus, but I am pretty sure that once you could hear such names like Blood, Sweet And Tears, Joe Henderson, Robert Plant and Simon & Garfunkel. Moreover, Mr. Wadenius recorded a solo album and is recognizable in his fatherland as a cartoon music composer. I am convinced that he is also a very good teacher at the Music Conservatory in Stockholm. There is also an interesting fact concerning this musician: he played the acoustic guitars for Backstreet Boys in 1999! Unfortunately, I haven't heard any of their CDs, haha. I hope you aren't deluded by aforementioned piece of information, otherwise you could incur a loss.
Describing of such a great music is a serious challenge for me, however I will try to do it briefly enough and in a possibly vivid way. So let's start it. All is moving and full of vigour in De Gladas Kapell's music. In a sense, there are many delicate tones which harmonize with the nature. A musical plot is ran without haste. Simply, it flows like a calm stream that cracks the pebbles near the shore. However, the keys squelch, and the bass splashes in a summer sound of the acoustic guitar. There are some moments when the stream breaks out and wants to flow faster, but other elements of the musical nature don't let it do. In such a way, an instrumental mocking between a rollicking piano, careless guitar and boorish bass is started. It's most unusual!
Lion Music becomes to be a paragon of an unlimited label that don't impose us one genre and narrow its offer down to one music style only. They don't define a good or poor music, but serve us a wide offer in its catalogue. This Finnish label characterized the style of De Gladas Kapell as progressive rock, but I assure you that a mentioned progression starts and ends with the sounds of Nilsson's mini moog. Swedes' music is strongly settled in boogie-woogie tradition, that is a special style in piano playing that can make you think of blues music. An artist, who plays in this style, revises the harmonical-rhythmical structures many times with left hand, however right one leads the theme and performs improvisations. That's why I dare to write that De Gladas Kapell is a representative of completely innovative style I would call jazz progrock! Listening intently to Coste Apetrea's guitar playing, it reminds me of Al Di Meola's output.
The musicians of Edguy have rock'n'roll fun playing their music. The Swedes chose more dignified music. It's a great opportunity to hear the stuff that was recorded on vinyl a few dozen years ago! You needn't be a total music lover to enjoy this music. As far as my opinion is concerned, I can write that I got to know what a real freedom and lack of limitations in music are after the first listening. Can you believe that Scandinavians recorded "Spelar Nilsson" in one day only!? I am lost in admiration, haha!
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