De Gladas Kapell
Spelar Nilsson

The inevitable moments eventually arrive when you ask yourself, "What should I listen to now?"; so you start rummaging through your records in search of something that's been buried by your recent listens, hoping to (re)find something interesting to listen to. That's how I stumbled upon De Gladas Kapell, a little-known group of Swedish session musicians (Coste Apetrea on guitars, Stefan Nilsson on keyboards, Peter Sundell on drums, and Georg Wadenius on bass) and their album "Spelar Nilsson," dated 1978.

The Progressive Scandinavian scene has a well-established tradition, and it's no coincidence that the classic Progressive from our country still has a significant following there. This "Italy-Scandinavia" bridge is a good segue to talk about "Havanna Boogie," the track that opens the album. This "Italy-Scandinavia" bridge is mentioned because the track, with its dynamics and phrasing, is reminiscent of our own PFM; it's a vibrant piece that highlights the undeniable technical skills of the four: from the expressive rhythm section of Sundell and Wadenius, typical of Jazz/Rock influences, to the acidic solo by Apetrea. The Jazz/Rock associated with Fusion surfaces in other parts of the record, like in "Samballad," a track with a pronounced rhythmic liveliness that certainly pays tribute to Chick Corea and all the Jazz/Rock and Fusion phases of his career. The quartet also manages to capture and write the sensitive part of their songwriting, not just the part exasperated by technique; because of this, the ballad-like "Kelt Visan" offers interesting insights, especially thanks to Nilsson's piano work and Apetrea's precious acoustic work. Sensitive elements return, as in the ethereal and introspective "Morgonlat" or in "Nyspolat," a track with nocturnal and exotically Atlantic roots, given the task of closing the album. A piece  composed by Apetrea and Nilsson, played as a duet by just the two of them, in a delightful call and response between piano and acoustic guitar; this element, in some ways, reminds me of certain exchanges between Roberto Ravasini and Sergio Lattuada of Maxophone.

In conclusion, it is a very interesting album, certainly recommended to those who appreciate instrumental music with Progressive and Fusion influences. It's not an album that you'd become obsessed with, but certainly an album whose rediscovery is very pleasant.