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Mezzoforte (band)

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Genre
  
Jazz

Mezzoforte (band) Mezzoforte Gulli Briem

Members
  
Gunnlaugur Briem, Jóhann Ásmundsson

Record labels
  
RCA Records, ZYX Music, CNR Records, Skífan, BHM Productions, Novus, Steinar, Spor, The Store For Music Ltd

Albums
  
Live in Reykjavik, Surprise Surprise, Fortissimos, Catching Up With Mezzoforte, Rising

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Mezzoforte is an instrumental jazz-funk fusion band from Iceland, formed in 1977.

Contents

They signed a record deal with Icelandic label Steinar. Their biggest hit single was "Garden Party" (1983), taken from their fourth album (second international release) Surprise Surprise. It peaked at number 17 in the UK Singles Chart. The famous solo that takes place two minutes into "Garden Party", was created and played on the flugelhorn by English trumpeter, Stephen Dawson. "Garden Party" was later covered by Herb Alpert, at a lower speed than the original, apparently as he had learned the track from the single played at the wrong speed. Another single, "Rockall" spent one week at number 75 in the same listing in June that year, and was used as a signature tune by several European radio chart shows.

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The band was named after the traditional musical term mezzo forte, an instruction to play literally "moderately loud".

Band members

Original line-up from 1977:

  • Eyþór Gunnarsson – Keyboards
  • Jóhann Ásmundsson – Bass
  • Gunnlaugur Briem-Gulli Briem (Gulli) – Drums
  • Friðrik Karlsson (Frissi) – Guitar

    • Other members, present and past:

    Mezzoforte (band) Mezzoforte

  • Bruno Müller – Guitar (2005–present)
  • Sebastian Studnitzky – Trumpet & keyboards (2005–present)
  • Thomas Dyani – Percussion (2004–present)
  • Jonas Wall – Saxophones (2013–present)
  • Staffan William-Olsson – Guitar (2003–2004)
  • Joel Palsson – Saxophones (2003)
  • Guðmundur Pétursson – Guitar (2003)
  • Óskar Guðjónsson – Saxophones (1996–2003, 2005–2013)
  • Kåre Kolve – Saxophones (1991–1994)
  • Björn Thorarensen – Synthesizers (1980–1982)
  • Kristinn Svavarsson – Saxophones (1982–1985)
  • David O'Higgins – Saxophones (1985–1989, 2002–2004)
  • Jeroen De Rijk – Percussion (1984–1986)

    • Albums

    Mezzoforte (band) Mezzoforte

  • Mezzoforte (1979)
  • Í Hakanum/Octopus (1980)
  • Þvílíkt og Annað Eins (Dreamland) (December 1981)
  • Surprise Surprise (1982) – UK #23
  • Sprellifandi – Live at the Dominion (1983)
  • Observations (1984)
  • Rising (1984)
  • No Limits (1986)
  • Playing for Time (1989)
  • Daybreak (1993)
  • Monkey Fields (1996)
  • Forward Motion (2004)
  • Live In Reykjavik (2007)
  • Volcanic (November 2010)
  • Islands (July 2012)

    • Compilation albums

    Mezzoforte (band) MEZZOFORTE Garden Party 12quot sunshine version 1984 Jazz Funk Fusion

  • Catching up with Mezzoforte – Early Recordings (1983) – UK #95
  • The Saga so far (1985)
  • Fortissimos (1991)
  • Garden Party Time (1999)
  • Anniversary Edition (2007)

    • Mezzoforte (band) Mezzoforte

    Songs

    E G BluesLive in Reykjavik · 2008
    Garden PartySurprise Surprise · 1982
    Early AutumnSurprise Surprise · 1982

    References

    Mezzoforte (band) Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA