Release november 2017

November 2017 will see the release of two projects I have been working  with for a couple of years.

TSE Dope Regards
1 november: The Sonic E – Dope Regards (Simlas011)

In the fall of 2014, the Swedish Improrockjazzoutfit Thymeshift merged with DJ/bassist/producer Jonas Färnlöf under the name of The Sonic E to explore and to some extent wipe out computer/human boundaries in a creative music creation process. Synchronized computers, venturous improvisations and innovative outsidetheboxthinking. The band worked intensively during the year and met regularly at Jonas cabin/studio in Västerås (not to be confused with Westeros) to test, develop and customize the music. The live-premiere took place in April 2015 and the band played half a dozen concerts before they went into Studio Västerås and immortalized it all. The recorded part of the project has been slowly matured and processed leading to this final result.

The Sonic E proudly presents: ”Dope Regards”. Don’t be squared…be Grabbed from Beyond!

Thomas Gunillasson – guitars, laptop
Jonas Färnlöf – voice, bass, percussion, laptop
Johan Björklund – drums, percussion, laptop

Thomas Backman – alto saxophone, clarinet, flute, voice, laptop

www.thomasgunillasson.seRubicon
15 november: Parallel Activity – Rubicon (Imogena IGCD151)

Four strong individuals with broad and varied musical backgrounds forms this eclectic group.
Together they create an genre crossing music that spans from heavy riff-based songs to lyrical and
delicate ballads. Strong compositions and expressive improvisations live in nice symbiosis.
Playfulness and relaxation exist all the time in the groups musical creations, even at its most powerful
and intense moments.

The Gothenburg-based group consists of
Carl Svensson and Erik Ivarsson on guitars, which with their different styles of playing create a wide
and varied palette of sounds, rhythms and moods.
Alfred Lorinius on the bass and Johan Björklund on drums form a very powerful, dynamic and creative
rhythm section that complements the group in a great and totally unique way.

The music can be associated with the minimalist and ambient soundscapes of Bill Frisell as well
as Allman Brothers Band or 70´s phsycadelic rock.
Instrumental jazz-rock meets lyrical, northern sounds and melodies.
Someone at a concert heard an instrumental version of Fleetwood Mac.
The ear of the listener decides…

Johan Björklund – drums & percussion
Carl Svensson – electric guitars
Erik Ivarsson – electric & acoustic guitars
Alfred Lorinius – electric bass & electric guitar

www.imogena.se

Byggnads Kulturstipendium 2017

In swedish:
Johan Björklund – Musik
”Barn och unga har idag olika förutsättningar, ofta beroende på var de bor, när det gäller att få uppleva och inspireras av olika konstnärliga uttryck. I mer än 20 år har Johan Björklund arbetat med skolprojekt där han med jazz och improvisation möter en ung och öppen publik. Han får Byggnads kulturstipendium för att kunna satsa mer för att nå de som idag befinner sig utanför storstaden.”DSC03569

Thymeshift + Amsler on the road april 2017!

thymeshift-amsler-3
Thymeshift + Amsler=sant!

Nytt spännande samarbete mellan svenska gruppen
Thymeshift och danska keyboardisten Katrine Amsler!
Thymeshift är ett tänkande, dynamiskt och innovativt band
startat 2010 av svenska musikerna Johan Björklund, Thomas
Gunillasson och Thomas Backman. På egen hand men
även tillsammans med isländske gitarristen Hilmar Jensson
har gruppen format en kraftfull, lyhörd enhet med uttryck som
spretar åt många håll. Samarbetet med Jensson har
bl.a resulterat i skivan ”Beyond Horizons” på Boogiepost
Recordings.
Nu inleder trion ett nytt samarbete med Katrine Amsler
som med keyboards, elektronik och egenbyggda instrument
kommer ta musiken i nya spännande riktningar. Komponerad,
improviserad och ibland programmerad musik som ingen hört
like till! 
Katrine Amsler (DK) – keyboards, laptop mm
Johan Björklund (S) – trummor
Thomas Backman (S) – saxofon, klarinett, keyboards

Thomas Gunillasson (S) – gitarr

1/4 Plugged Records, Stockholm kl 14.00
1/4 Nya Perspektiv, Västerås kl. 20.00
4/4 Boden
5/4 Brötz, Göteborg kl 20.30 (Sveriges Radio P2 Jazzradion spelar in!)
6/4 Scenkonstutbudsdag Uddevalla (endast Thymeshift Elektronix)
7/4 Not Quite, Fengersfors kl 19.00
8/4 Katakomberna Kvarnbyn, Mölndal kl. 16.00
9/4 JazzMiniCamp Vänersborg kl 15.30-16.45
13/4 Klubb Boogaloo, Norrköping (special guest Carl Svensson – gitarr!!!)

Med stöd av Statens Kulturråd.

RatedX – NEW RELEASE ”Passive Aggressive”

Like three unidentified flying objects in the sky, Mike Lloyd, Johan Björklund & Patrik Ehrnborg are slowly orbiting around each other, creating a elastic musical universe which at any point can be turned upside down and flung into another dimension.
This album was recorded in that spirit during two days in December 2015 at Element Studios in Gothenburg by Linus Andersson.
We listened intently to each other, tried out different ideas, turned corners, trailed off in separate directions to re-unite at a new meeting point further down the road.
Focusing on tiny details. Blurring out to a biggger picture and zooming straight back in. A fast curve ball defying the rules of gravity. From clear sky to gritty dirt in a split second .
We related to each other in the most confusing and clear way possible. This music is the result of those two days. Simply creating music in the moment to carry us home.

So take a listen and hopefully you will enjoy the ride.