Mwendo Dawa - Live at Montreux Jazz Festival (Dragon LP 1980)
For me this was an important band in the latter part of the 70's, they belonged to the ones who opened up my ears for free music expressions. Me and TC3 used to go to the jazz club Nefertiti, drink some beer, listen to whoever was playing. Some of the bands were local bands of local fame and they consisted of marvellous musicians. Some of them made an extensive career, played abroad, and so.
In the beginning Mwendo Dawa was a big band, about 7 or 8 (or more?) members. Three drummers, two basses, Susanna on piano & keyboard and Ove J on tenor sax. For me the long solo's of Ove were the highlight of their gigs, often starting modest, but then turning into fire and free form wailing - and I really loved it. The band was always great, but for me Ove was the master.
From late 70's and on to these days they've recorded a huge amount of albums; Mwendo Dawa, other groups, duos, solos, whatever. Honestly I've only heard most of the MD's albums and not the rest. The albums are great, but never near the furious peeks of the band playing live. It can be my memory failing, but this is how I remember it. Here and there you can hear Ove's sax glow on the records, sometimes getting close to fire, and the band is a great band.
Of those five MD LPs I have in my collection this live album from Montreux is the one coming closest to my memories of them playing live at Nefertiti. It's mainly structured, the loose and free form moments are few. But, I strongly recommend it. It's recorded 1979 and released the year after.
The Band: Susanna Lindeborg (piano & keys), Ove Johansson (sax), Ulf Wakenius (guitar), Anders Jormin (bass) and David Sundby (drums)
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Not a group with which I am familiar, I must confess. I'll add that to my huge growing list of "NAMES TO LOOK OUT FOR AT SECOND-HAND RECORD FAIRS"!
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