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
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
Afric Pepperbird cover

Afric Pepperbird

Jan Garbarek Quartet
Litanies of Satan cover

Litanies of Satan

Diamanda Galás
Post Scriptum cover

Post Scriptum

Wolfert Brederode Quartet
Archaic Concerts cover

Archaic Concerts

Stephan Micus
Abstract-Contact cover

Abstract-Contact

Annette Peacock
Molt And Anecdote cover

Molt And Anecdote

Michael Northam
Les Stances à Sophie cover

Les Stances à Sophie

Art Ensemble of Chicago
April cover

April

Susanne Abbuehl
Good News From Africa cover

Good News From Africa

Dollar Brand Duo
ONJQ Live in Lisbon cover

ONJQ Live in Lisbon

Mats Gustafsson, Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Quintet