HANSSON & KARLSSON

Many years ago I got this CD as a promo while I worked for the Dutch progrock magazine iO Pages. Hansson & Karlson was a Swedish duo featuring Bo(sse) Hansson on Hammond organ and Janne Carlsson on drums. They made three albums entitled Monument (1967), Rex (1968) and Man At The Moon (1969) and the single Lidingo Airport (1967). They also were the support-act of Frank Zappa, Jefferson Airplane, Cream and Jimi Hendrix. In the booklet of this CD (including an interesting interview) you can read that Jimi Hendrix was impressed by the duo and Jimi and the duo even became friends! By the way, Bo Hansson is also known as an artist who made several symphonic prog albums in the Seventies, his effort Attic Thoughts is recommended.

So what about the music of this Swedish duo? Well, I am delighted about these virtuosic musicians, what a skills, what a great interplay and what a wide range of exciting Hammond organ sounds (especially on the outstanding track February). The music reminds me at some moments of Julian's Treatment and Rare Bird but in general it's swinging jazz and compelling blues. My highlight is I Love, You Love (live 1968 from Rex): Bo freaks out on his Hammond organ, then he slows down but he ends with a bombastic, classically inspired sound in the vein of Keith Emerson, goose bumps! In fact it's "never a dull moment" during the 70 minutes running time of this dynamic and exciting CD compilation!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED and I would like to dedicate my review #1100 to the unsurpassed sound of the Hammond organ!

Excellent addition to any progressive collection. Four and a half stars to be sure! When you think that Hansson and Karlsson had the respect of the likes of Jimi Hendrix all those years ago, this album simply stuns with great melodic hammond organ riffs from Bo Hansson, equally complimented by meticulously timed drums and percussion from Jan Karlsson. The whole album does not have a dull or dud moment from the opening Richard Lionheart, the grooving ' Tax Free and the ethereal "Lift Off". I have often wondered over the years what additional material of anything Hansson related was available apart from his great solo works up to Music inspired by Watership Down in 1977. This confirms the establishment of that sound from these early years in collaboration with the talented Jan Karlsson. Great liner notes make the CD package good value. It is also great to see( Youtube)and read recent input from these rare talents. Hammond organ in abundance. Warning there are no other instruments apart from drums and keyboards and because of the skill of the artists no other instruments are required. Highly recommended.

This is a compilation release that includes all of the debut album "Monument" with the first half of the third album "Man On The Moon" and one track from their second album "Rex." Also included is the B-side of their single"Lidingö Airport" which is "Canada Lumberyard" but surprisingly not the single itself. Personally I find little on this compilation that differentiates itself adequately from the debut album leaving me little desire to check out the following two albums. It is the same as the debut (check out my review for "Monument" at its own page) with the two musicians doing their thang but there seems to be little or no evolution amongst the three albums. A little disappointing since so many leaps in progressiveness were occurring during this time. This album more than serves my needs by including the debut album and a sampling of the following two albums with a B-side. 3 stars for an interesting but not outstanding relic of progressive music development.