Harry Arnold

Harry Arnold & His Swedish Radio Orchestra was one of Europe's finest jazz big bands during 1956-1965. Based in Stockholm, the orchestra featured some of the best Swedish jazz musicians and along the way also included some American guests. All of the music on 1964/65 Vol. 1 was previously unreleased and recorded at a time when pressure was being put on the orchestra to become more commercial and pop-oriented. Arnold resisted and, when he left later in 1965, the group was cut back drastically and essentially ceased to exist. However, as can be heard on the performances on the first of two volumes, the band was still very much in its prime during its final stages. Performing arrangements by Arnold and Peter Jacques, the all-star contingent performs music ranging from updated swing and bop to hard bop and even a credible version of Ornette Coleman's "Tomorrow Is the Question." If allowed to continue progressing, it would have still been a major force in European jazz in the late '60s. Many of the players have solo space including trumpeter Bosse Broberg, altoist and clarinetist Arne Domnérus, Bjarne Nerem on tenor and pianist Jan Johansson. Fans of modern swinging big bands will definitely want this valuable release along with the second volume. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide