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Mats/Morgan Band: Live

By Glenn Astarita
December 7, 2011
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Track review of "En Schizofrens Dagbok"

In their teens, drummer Morgan ?gren and keyboardist Mats ?berg were invited to perform with

Frank Zappa

guitar, electric
1940 - 1993

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Zappa and, as the story goes, the Swedish duo formed this phenomenal ensemble that exercised a jaw-dropping mode of execution within the progressive-rock schema, amid some Zappa and jazz-centric influences. Revered for its otherworldly approach to the genre and superior technical faculties, Mats/Morgan Band is known for its exhilarating live performances and manifold approach to composition.

Agren is an in-demand session artist, and appears on the galvanized semi-structured jazz-rock power trio album Blixt (Cuneiform, 2001), featuring bassist

Bill Laswell

bass
b.1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Laswell and guitarist

Raoul Bjorkenheim

guitar
b.1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Raoul Bjorkenheim. Yet with Mats/Morgan's sixth album, originally recorded at a Swedish club in 1999, the piece "En Schizofrens Dagbok," yields an all-embracing illustration of the ensemble's breadth.

Rooted in a multifaceted constitution, "En Schizofrens Dagbok," is entrenched with hyperactive funk grooves, ferocious exchanges, scorching guitars, tricky time signatures, and jovial melodic content. Serious-minded but sprinkled with quaint sensibilities, the musicians' divergent implementation tender split-second breakouts, polytonal treatments and fluent cartoonish escapades. The differentiator resides within the artists' penchant for merging a chops-heavy element with sustainable themes and passages that move along with the impetus of a fast-paced action thriller. Its progressive rock with a college education by an outfit that has few, if any, peers in the business.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

1. Hollmervalsen - 11:53 (?gren); 2. En Schizofren Dagbok - 6:27 (?gren); 3. Ta Ned Trasan - 11:41 (?berg); 4. Jigsaw Variations - 6:46 (?gren); 5. Guardian Pitch - 4:42 (?berg); 6. Paltsug - 0:31 (?berg); 7. Etage A41 - 6:11 (?gren); 8. Min H?st - 7:19 (?berg); 9. Banned Again - 8:32 (?gren); 10. Igloo - 3:29 (?berg); 11. Kint?rnen - 9:02 (?gren).

Personnel

Mats/Morgan Band

band / ensemble / orchestra

Mats ?berg: keyboards; Morgan ?gren: drums; Jimmy ?gren: guitar; Tommy Thordsson: bass; Eric Carlsson: keyboards; Robert Elovsson: keyboards.

Album information

Title: Live | Year Released: 2011 | Record Label: Cuneiform Records

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