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Click on a title to hear a short sound clip
of the track ...
#1 - Still Water / Havblik (2003)
#2 - El Hadji (2002)
#3 - Back to the Present / Tilbage til nutiden (2002)
#4 - Snowman on a Sunny Day / Snemænd i sol (1986)
#5 - One Night in June / Juninat (1986)
#6 - Grey Friar Square / Gråbrødre Torv (1984)
#7 - After Rain Comes Shine / Sol efter regn (1988)
#8 - Globetrotter (1988)
#9 - High Holidays / Festlige Feriedage (1986)
#10 - Airy Signs / Himmeltegn (1986)
#11 - Windy Bridge / Broen i blæsten (1988)
#12 - Ferry Me Across / Færgetur (1984)
#13 - Beet Root Blues / Blå Nykøbing (1984)
Back to the Present - Cover notes
At the turn of 1983, the folk music editors at the National Danish Broadcasting Company invited a number of musicians and solo performers to appear in a live New Year’s show, featuring music and interviews.
Anders joined the show, backing singer Erik Grip, and Finn appeared with folk musician Lars Lilholt as well as playing
solo guitar compositions from his album "Acoustic Guitar".
At the time, Anders was writing songs which featured lots of guitar work, although the
compositions were not instrumentals. But Finn’s compositions for solo guitar gave him the impulse to call Finn and suggest a collaboration.
The two guitarists met, and it soon transpired that there was
a lot of creative chemistry between them.
They had a lot in common - they had both played lots of rock music, they both took an interest in classical guitar,
and they both had experience as backing musicians for solo singers - but their styles and temperament also differed in significant areas, adding dynamics and contrast.
At first, the duo concentrated on Finn’s compositions,
but soon Anders began to contribute ideas and themes.
Together they worked out arrangements, establishing the particular working process which would become their hallmark.
On their first album, "Sight-seeing", each tune was still
attributed to either Anders or Finn, but it was soon decided that henceforth all titles should appear as joint compositions, since both musicians contributed equally, creating the duo’s unique sound.
Anders Roland & Finn Olafsson played together from 1984
until 1990. This new CD, "Back to the Present" contains a selection of tunes from the three albums recorded by the duo.
Anders Roland & Finn Olafsson played hundreds of gigs as a duo during those years, but in the studio they often used extra musicians, some of which appear on all their albums.
The keyboards are played by one of the best in the business, Bent Lundgaard, who has worked with Holger Laumann, Anne Linnet Band and at one time formed a duo with sax player Morten Øberg.
At present he is the musical director at Odense Theatre.
Percussionist Jacob Andersen adds a phenomenal repertoire of rhythms and sounds. He has played with lots of Danish
artists, such as Sneakers, Danseorkesteret, Mikkel Nordsø Band and many others. Jacob appears on all three albums.
On "High Holidays", guitarist Poul Halberg appears on keyboards. One of Denmark’s best guitarists, Poul’s immense understanding of the guitar enables him to contribute
a valuable, poetic creativity to the music.
Through the years, Poul has been the creative power behind bands such as Halberg/Larsen and Ray Dee Ohh.
Finn’s brother Torsten Olafsson - co-founder, bass player and vocalist in the symphonic rock band Ache - appears on shakuhachi,
a traditional Japanese bamboo flute.
Shakuhachi music originally stems from the Japanese Zen Buddhist tradition, and its eerie sound is often used as samples and played through a keyboard. However, what you hear on "El Hadji" and "Airy Signs" is the real thing!
In 2001 Anders Roland & Finn Olafsson revived their collaboration and in the 2002 their first three new compositions were recorded.
For the sessions it felt natural to invite Torsten Olafsson
and Jacob Andersen back, and so they can be heard on "Still Water", "El Hadji" and "Back to the Present".
• Read about Anders Roland & Finn Olafsson
at: www.olafssongs.dk
• Back to the CD Gallery
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Music by Anders Roland & Finn Olafsson
Published by
Olafssongs Music Publishers
Produced by Finn Olafsson
"El Hadji" & "Back to the Present"
were recorded and mixed at
Olafssongs Studios in March-April 2002
Engineer: Finn Olafsson
"Still Water" was recorded and mixed
at Olafssongs Studios in Spring 2003
Engineer: Finn Olafsson
Booklet translation: Lars Kjædegaard
Cover photo graphics & layout:
Torsten Olafsson
Musicians:
The re-released tracks:
See the credits for the original CDs
The three new recordings:
Finn Olafsson: Acoustic guitar
Anders Roland: Acoustic guitar
& keyboards
Jacob Andersen: Percussion
Torsten Olafsson: Shakuhachi
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