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  • Music Is My Salvation

    CE18

    Artist: Per Tjernberg

    Label: Country & Eastern

    In praise of the mysterious essence of music!

    Percussionist/composer Per Tjernberg’s first album on Country & Eastern is actually his 12th album as a leader. He continues to explore his later development using a large ensemble of great improvisers and a more jazz influenced expression. Multi-instrument genius Kjell Westling plays a central role on the album that turned out to be his last recording before his rather sudden demise in the fall of 2010.

  • Don't Stop

    SRSCD3628

    Artist: Per Tjernberg

    Label: Silence Records

    In the early eighties Per Tjernberg visited New York several times. It was the beginning of the whole Hip Hop movement: - “The Message” was spread by Grandmaster Flash through ghettoblasters everywhere, young kids doing break dance was the most exciting street entertainment, and graffiti was producing its first great artists. Inspired by the emergence of this great new folk art form he returned to Sweden convinced that elements from Hip Hop could successfully be combined with the music he was mostly into at the time, which was African, Afro-Cuban and Brazilian music, and Jazz orientated improvisational stuff. The rap artist seemed to him a modern extension of the West African “Griot” (storyteller, social commentator, history teacher). And the beats were slamming!

    A friend told him about this guy from Brooklyn who was doing a little breakdancing and rapping in a Stockholm club. Michael (his last name a constant subject to change) called himself Grandmaster Funk, later shortened to GM Funk, and he soon became involved in the recordings.
    The single “Don’t Stop!” was the first Swedish rap record. When released in the states it got quite a lot of attention. Especially flattering was when Afrika Bambaataa asked for a spare copy of the 12” since he had worn his out when DJ-ing.
    Dr. John appears on one track.
    This edition contains lots of bonus tracks!