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
Panagia cover

Panagia

Stephan Micus
Towards the Wind cover

Towards the Wind

Stephan Micus
Harrison: Seven Pastorales; Glanville-Hicks: Etruscan Concerto; Riley: June Buddhas cover

Harrison: Seven Pastorales; Glanville-Hicks: Etruscan Concerto; Riley: June Buddhas

Brooklyn Philharmonic, Keith Jarrett, Dennis Russell Davies
Output cover

Output

Wolfgang Dauner
Lontano cover

Lontano

Tomasz Stańko Quartet
Made in Chicago cover

Made in Chicago

Jack DeJohnette, Muhal Richard Abrams, Henry Threadgill, Roscoe Mitchell, Larry Gray
Angles of Repose cover

Angles of Repose

Barre Phillips, Mat Maneri, Joe Maneri
Confluence cover

Confluence

JGrzinich, Seth Nehil
Of Colors cover

Of Colors

Curtis J Stewart