CE38

Beches Indian Brew

Beches Brew or Bengt Berger

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“So far, this kind of open, compassionate music work as highly efficient antidote to the deeds of some malicious politicians in the West, East and the Middle East” – Eyal Hareuveni, Salt Peanuts

Beches Indian Brew was made possible by our national Swedish cultural institution Musikverket who backed us up economically. It took place during 2016 starting in January with a tour in India where we were joined in our music by eminent Indian maestros of the Karnatic as well as the Hindustani traditions. In October some of the Indian musicians joined us for the Swedish leg of the project, a tour during which we did these recordings that conclude the project with this album.

Heartfelt thanks

to vidwans J.B. Srutisagar, N. Amrit and V. Suresh as well as pandits Nityanand Haldipur and my tabla gurubhai Sadanand Naimpalli who helped make our concerts in India so successful but are not represented on this album. And extra special thanks to Guru Karaikudi Mani Iyer for inspiration, advice and assistance. Thanks also to Anna Inteman and Jöns Jönsson for their patient and creative filmwork and to Göran Kindlund for the legwork. Bengt ”Beche” Berger

Press releases

CE38_Press_Eng
CE38_Press_Swe
Country & Eastern Newsletter – August 2017
iTunes booklet

Musicians

Akkarai Sisters, vocal and violins
Jayachandra Rao, mridangam
Shreesundarkumar, khanjira
Doe Kushiator, blekete master drum, donno
Livet Nord, violin
Lise-Lotte Norelius, electronics, percussion
Thomas Gustafsson, Jonas Knutsson, saxophones
Sir Thomas Jäderlund, saxophones, bass clarinet
Göran Klinghagen, Max Schultz, guitars
Stefan Bellnäs, beyzz
Bengt Berger, drums

Tracks

Kakraba High Five 5:22
Kamelen 8:10
Flabby Dick 3:58
Dagar, Djur 12:15
Congo Square 4:20
Doktor Apa-Magma-Vesuvio-Klingis Khan 10:58
Ewe Song 5:27
Edith 9:56

More info

Recorded in Stockholm, Malmö and Umeå on October 16, 21 and 29.
Recorded and mixed by Sigge Krantz
Mastered by Claes Persson, CRP Recordings
Graphic Design by Jon Edergren, Spektra Design
Produced by Bengt Berger
Release date 24/8 2017

Reviews

Here is the first album review, by Eyal Hareuveni in Salt Penuts
and here is Raul de Gama’s exhaustive great review in World Music Review
Michael Tucker of Jazz Journal: “Like Bitter Funeral Beer Beches Indian Brew is a masterwork.”

Reviews in Swedish:
Åsa Veghed-Dagens Nyheter
Peter Sjöblom–Mono “Det är svårt att hitta någonting som just nu är lika stimulerande och inspirerande som ”Beches Indian Brew”.”

“I came across your CD “Beches Indian Brew” at a record store near me (I live in New Jersey, USA), and the instrumentation looked interesting, as did the general concept described in the booklet. I decided to take a chance and hear something of which I wasn’t previously aware. This has been a great listen, so far. I just heard the “Vesuvio” section of your suite on track 6, and now I’m typing this email to say how much of a great surprise this music has been. It’s a wonderful program of music, and unlike anything I’ve heard.
Thanks for making this music.
Regards,”
Matt from New Jersey, USA