Back in November, I posted about the Real Group, a hugely popular a cappella vocal ensemble from Sweden. Well, the other day, I stumbled across a 2008 album by the group's former soprano, Margareta Bengtson. The album is As We Are (Prophone) led by Swedish pianist and arranger Nils Lindberg. Several years ago, I interviewed Nils here. Margareta is an astonishing singer with tremendous tone and power.
Recorded in Sweden, As We Are features Bengtson backed by a terrific band: Nils Lindberg (arranger, composer, conductor), Jan Allan (tp), Hans Akesson and Hakan Brostrom (as), Anders Paulsson (s, ts), Joakim Milder (ts), Alberto Pinton (bs), Nils Lindberg (p), Jan Adefelt (b) and Bengt Stark (d).
The album's tracks include Remember, B.B. Blues, As You Are (which Nils wrote with bassist Red Mitchell), Springtime (a saxophone instrumental), I Remember Karelia, Santa Barbara, Skylark, Tingsmarschen (a folk song), Tomorrow, Dry Martini, Blues for Bill (an instrumental), Shall I Compare Thee and Epilogue (an instrumental).
So if you're a jazz singer shopping for songs off the beaten path, a number of these should be considered.
Bengtson grew up in a family of musicians in Tyresö Municipality, south of Stockholm. As a child, she sang and played piano, later taking up the harp, which became her main instrument while studying at Stockholm's Royal College of Music. She joined the Real Group in 1984, and in 1997 she was awarded first prize as best female soloist by the Choral A Cappella Society of America.
At the end of 2006, Bengtson left the Real Group to become a solo performer and recording artist. She released a critically acclaimed jazz CD, I'm Old Fashioned. She also began appearing as a guest on other artists' CDs. For several years, she worked closely with the great Nils Lindberg. In 2008, Nils recorded with Bengtson on As We Are, a CD of songs he wrote or co-wrote. More CDs by Bengtson followed.
Today, I hear that Bengtson is still performing on harp and singing.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find Nils Lindberg and Margareta Bengtson's As We Are (Prophone) here.
JazzWax clips: Here's As You Are, with Nils on piano in 2008...
The song also was recorded in Färingsö, Sweden, in August 2014, with Nils on piano, Olle Lindberg, his son, on bass, and Agnes Lindberg, Olle's wife, on the vocal. Here's As You Are...
How great an arranger is Nils? Dig his Springtime and incredible reed writing...
To view an hour-long concert of Bengtson singing and playing the harp in a jazz concert in 2020, go here. A special thanks to Peter Levin and Guy Jones in Sweden.
