Sunday Big Note – Listening Session #16

The Mats/Morgan Band featuring drummer and composer Morgan Ågren and keyboard player and composer Mats Öberg were no doubt one of Zappa’s most eclectic musical discoveries when he invited them to perform with him and his 1988 band as guests at their Stockholm performance on January 5th, 1988. Indeed, Mats and Morgan played an integral part in the series of Zappa tribute concerts which made up Zappa’s Universe. They’ve also revealed their virtuosic “chops” performing the music of the late Don Van Vliet with Freddie Wadling and Denny Walley on The Music of Captain Beefheart – live. Any fan of Zappa or Beefheart’s music will find Mats and Morgan’s music extremely appealing, and like both those icons, the music of the The Mats/Morgan Band is difficult, if not impossible, to categorize containing juxtaposing elements of jazz, electronic music, fusion, waltz, dance music, avant garde/free jazz, techno, rock, metal, progressive, and modern classical music.

Today’s Sunday Big Note features an excellent soundboard/audience mix recording of the Mats/Morgan Band performing at the club Magasin 4 in Brussels, Belgium on May 4, 2005:

Daisy
[audio:SBN_20110227_1-01 Daisy.mp3]

Propeller Häst
[audio:SBN_20110227_1-02 Propeller Hast.mp3]

En Schizofrens Dagbok
[audio:SBN_20110227_1-03 En Schizofrens Dagbok.mp3]

Sinus
[audio:SBN_20110227_1-04 Sinus.mp3]

La Baratte
[audio:SBN_20110227_1-05 La Baratte.mp3]

Ta Ned Trasan (with Toots Thielemans trick)
[audio:SBN_20110227_1-06 Ta Ned Trasan (with Toots Thielemans trick).mp3]

Jigsaw Variations
[audio:SBN_20110227_1-07 Jigsaw Variations.mp3]

Thanks For Flying With Us
[audio:SBN_20110227_2-01 Thanks For Flying With Us.mp3]

Mats’ Harmonica/Keyboards Solo
[audio:SBN_20110227_2-02 Mats’ Harmonica_Keyboards Solo.mp3]

Hollmervalsen
[audio:SBN_20110227_2-03 Hollmervalsen.mp3]

Drum Solo
[audio:SBN_20110227_2-04 Drum Solo.mp3]

Paltsug
[audio:SBN_20110227_2-05 Paltsug.mp3]

JF’s Tati Car
[audio:SBN_20110227_2-06 JF’s Tati Car.mp3]

Mats/Morgan Band:

Mats Öberg – Keyboards, Harmonica, upside down Blues Guitar attempt on “Hollmervalsen”
Morgan Ågren – Drums
Jimmy Ågren – Guitar, Harmonica frenzy on “Hollmervalsen”
Tommy Thordsson – Bass
Robert Elovsson – Keyboards