Öppet Två: Lars-Göran Ulander

In 1963, when Lars-Göran Ulander was 20 years old, he became a member of the prolific Umeå trombonist Lars Lystedt’s sextet. After that, he was active in several different constellations, such as his own septet, various bands together with drummer Sten Öberg, and a brilliant trio with pianist Per Henrik Wallin. Ulander has also worked as a teacher, and for many years as director of Swedish Radio’s jazz programming. He has been increasingly musically active since retiring, and still plays in several bands.

On this very first dedicated portrait record of Ulander, the musician Mats Gustafsson and Roger Bergner at the Centre for Swedish Folk Music & Jazz Research, have selected various archived recordings from the 1960’s and 70’s. In addition, jazz researcher Jan Bruer and drummer Peter Olsen assisted, and all this in close collaboration with Lars-Göran Ulander himself.

“The ambition with the record series ÖPPET is to release immense, yet unheard music from the 1960s and 70s, when so much creative music was created and recorded, but only rarely released commercially. Both frictions and alloys between popular music culture, jazz, folk music, and the experimental alternative music in ways that have never been heard either before or since,” says Mats Gustafsson.

Mats Gustafsson again: “This is improvised music at its best. Both then and now. It has an inherent and eternal validity as striking musical art, which can inspire both present and future generations of listeners and musicians.”
Lars-Göran Ulander’s saxophone playing is always searching and wayward. Sometimes brutal, but always beautiful music!

Finally, some words from writer and producer John Corbett, who listened to this album: “Lars-Göran Ulander is a hidden treasure of creative music in Sweden. Consistently pushing and developing his own postbop action with an estimable cast of 60’s/70´s colleagues, Ulander’s portrait album will knock your socks off.”