Swedish Isht

Bjorn Jayson Lindh : Daphnia
taken from the album Ramadan on Metronome/CTI (1971)

Bjorn Jayson Lindh : Bull Dog
taken from the album Sissel on Metronome/CTI (1973)

Summer stoop sales are back in full effect here in Brook-nam. I felt like a thief last weekend, or a pirate perhaps, just looting record bin after record bin and piling up my bounty. It’s always an education.

A fan of funky flautists like Jeremy Steig and Herbie Mann, it’s surprising that I never managed to find out about Swedish flute fanatic Bjorn Jayson Lindh. Mixing jazz-funk fusion with arabic and medieval sounding melodies was Lindh’s highly unique niche. Ramadan opens with an absolute bomb of a groove called “Loading Ramp”, but Daphnia definitely highlights more of his mixed up uniqueness. Plus, fans of a certain Chemist will surely recognize the ill shuffling flute loop that makes up the hook. I might have cut out the guitar solo towards the end, but hey, that’s just me.

Bull Dog is a laid back slinky groove that maintains it’s listenability well on hot humid days like today. Among other elements I love about this tune, the use of cuica (which enters about 5 1/2 minutes in) ranks high. I didn’t even know what that sound was at first. There’s also a phaaat open drum break that opens side 2. I know I recognize it, but can’t quite place it. Here’s to the never ending quest for booty! and of course, to all those unknown treasures still lurking in the darks and danks of forgotten basements.