Den Flyganden Bokrullen

20th Century Klezmer


"A 10 m2 studio, 8 channel recording equipment from the mid 60īs, and a half mad, half enginous sound engineer", would have been the conditions, this CD had been recorded under, Gustav wrote when sending me Uppsala/.se based Den Flyganden Bokrullenīs second album. Den Flyganden Bokrullen, that means somewhat like "flying bookrolls". I donīt know, if this anything has to do with "flying windows" of a well-known software vendor ... ;-)
Anyway, 20th Century Klezmer is a witty, rhythm- and speedful mixture of traditional and Bokrullenīs own pieces. And even traditional pieces have an always special bokrullen special arrangement, sometimes remembering on Swedish folklore. In so far, Bokrullen are following the old klezmer tradition to sample musical influences from their environment. That sometimes leads to certain aha experiences, f.e. when hearing Sadegurer Chusedīl, being played in nearly crazy tempo (Eddaīs comment: "Reminds me somewhat on this Rumanian band, calling themselves "worldīs fastest brass band"), or good old Araber Tantz, with rhumba-style rhythm foundations, played by drummer Carl.

Funny thing at the end of the CD: After the 3:40 of Araber Tantz, thereīs silence for 8 minutes, and then an additional, not listed track starts up. Incidence? Accident? I donīt know, I just know: He, who is searching after fast and wild klezmer music (or, like Bokrullen themselves say, a "product that balances between nervous breakdown and euphoria" ;-) ), is completely right here ...

20th Century Klezmer

  1. A Heimisher Bulgar (Abe Ellstein)
  2. Sadegurer Chusedīl (trad)
  3. Icek (trad)
  4. Feivel & Rifke (M. Pohjola)
  5. Hariklaki Mou (trad)
  6. Fryzjer Frydmans Freylekh (G. Johansson) (mpeg3, 230 KB, 30 sec)
  7. TS Freylekh (trad)
  8. Bejati Blumenthal (O. Pohjola)
  9. Scurt (M. Pohjola)
  10. Dem Rebens Tantz (trad)
  11. Klaunowicz (trad)
  12. Mechutonim Tantz (trad)
  13. Krk Krpar (G. Johansson)
  14. Przymyzl (Before & After) (O. Pohjola)
  15. Skutchna (trad)
  16. Dem Rebens Nign (trad)
  17. Araber Tantz (trad) ... und ein Extra-Track ;-)

The musicians

Carl Johanssondrums, percussion
Gustav Johanssonaccordion, baritone horn
Matti Johannes Pohjolamandolin, tenor horn, cornet, banjo
Oskar Pohjolatuba, double bass
Lars Ydgrenclarinet, alto sax

Contact: Gustav Johansson
Den Flyganden Bokrullen homepage