The Beginning of the Black Swedes

So it has been awhile since I have been involved in music in the proper since. Months ago sea.mine took in its last few breaths before it slipped silently into its coma. The silence was not as much from the lack of music but more so due to the fact that no one really talked the other members about why we were not playing together. In fighting and outside interests seem to be common causes of the demise of groups and ours was no different. But as our group's passing seemed unavoidable I began to write for a new group called the Black Swedes.

I did not know who the Black Swedes were at the time and still have only a outline of an idea but the songs began to flow for this unborn group without precedence. No other group I had been a part of had been able to bring out the music that I had been hearing in my head as well as this group that sadly was still unable to find residence outside my mind.

The first inclination that the Swedes would be able to feel the light of day was a show at the downtown YMCA with bass clarinet player Katie Scheoflin (never know how to spell) and guitar player Josh Evans. At the time I had a hard time knowing where it would go but within a few weeks we were able to get into Josh's studio to record a few demos.

Through the passing months of spring Josh and I spoke of the Swedes often and began to make plans for our first adventure into Studio X for a day of experiments. The idea was that the Black Swedes would be a collection of great local musicians whom I had known or worked with previously and who did not know the songs very well.

Matt Benham from local stalwarts Argo, became the newest piece of the Swede's foundation right before this session. After two practices with him and then one with sea.mine's former pianist Tonya Sedairous (this one too) we thought that we were ready to bring in the drummer. Not knowing who might be able to pick up two songs with only one hour of practice I was forced to shoot for the best I knew, Kaanan Tupper.

The Friday before our Saturday session Kaanan drove up from Bend, OR to practice in my cousin Peter's basement for the only our I could get the four of us together. Having played Sugar Cane three times and Sue Me once we felt that both had been worked to perfection. The next day behind the steady hand of Josh and his assistant mike on bass the first Black Swede session was worked and finished with a kind of fluidity only know before in episodes of behind the music.

So the Swedes are here and they (who ever they end up being) will finish an album soon.