Bitter Funeral Beer cover

Bitter Funeral Beer

Released

Swedish percussionist Bengt Berger’s masterful Bitter Funeral Beer is a buried diamond, and all you need to unearth it is press PLAY. Unlike many fusion projects, this evocation of Ghanaian folk music betrays not a single fiber of pretension. Among his fellow sojourners is Don Cherry, whose pocket trumpet tells story after story against a backdrop of strings, reeds, and electric guitar. Vocalist Anita Livstrand adds a primal touch. The Fela Kuti-like drive of “Tongsi” and the funeral dance of “Darafo” yield some of the most ecstatic moments of the session, each a step across the border of expectation.

Tyran Grillo

Recommended by

Suggestions
Aida cover

Aida

Derek Bailey
Wings Over Water cover

Wings Over Water

Stephan Micus
Ornette cover

Ornette

Ornette Coleman
Characters On A Wall cover

Characters On A Wall

Benjamin Moussay, Christophe Lavergne, Sarah Murcia, Louis Sclavis
April cover

April

Susanne Abbuehl
Graphics cover

Graphics

Joe McPhee
Vade Mecum cover

Vade Mecum

Bill Dixon
Sahara cover

Sahara

McCoy Tyner
Lou Harrison: Piano Concerto; Suite for Violin, Piano and Small Orchestra cover

Lou Harrison: Piano Concerto; Suite for Violin, Piano and Small Orchestra

Lucy Stoltzman, New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, Naoto Otomo, Keith Jarrett