Out of the Gallion – Kenneth Arnstrom 1987
Many bands recreated the sounds of the original 1945 Bechet-Mezzrow recording and this was also done with probably Sweden’s best reedplayer. Kenneth Arnstrom started the famous Kustbandet Orchestra in the sixties. He performs in this recording as a member of the Swedish Jazz Kings while on tour in the USA in 1987. He is something of a legend in Sweden and has been a musical inspiration for many players in and around Stockholm. I heard he is a bit of a loner, lives in the forest and practices his horns all alone in the woods. To me he is one of the most creative players, and although I do not have too much recorded material with him, his totally inspired and so talented performances alway seem to move me. Kenneth belongs to the very top!
With him are Tomas Ornberg on clarinet as well. All solo work is done by Arnstrom though; on piano is Ray Smith, the great British stride player who played with Ken Colyer for many years. On banjo in the Norvegian Borre Frydenlund and the tubaist is Michael Daumling of Abbi Hubner’s band from Hamburg.