The Mats/Morgan Band featuring drummer and composer Morgan Ågren and keyboard player and composer Mats Öberg were no doubt one of Zappa’s most eclectic musical discoveries when he invited them to perform with him and his 1988 band as guests at their Stockholm performance on January 5th, 1988. Indeed, Mats and Morgan played an integral part in the series of Zappa tribute concerts which made up Zappa’s Universe. They’ve also revealed their virtuosic “chops” performing the music of the late Don Van Vliet with Freddie Wadling and Denny Walley on The Music of Captain Beefheart – live. Any fan of Zappa or Beefheart’s music will find Mats and Morgan’s music extremely appealing, and like both those icons, the music of the The Mats/Morgan Band is difficult, if not impossible, to categorize containing juxtaposing elements of jazz, electronic music, fusion, waltz, dance music, avant garde/free jazz, techno, rock, metal, progressive, and modern classical music.
Continue reading “Sunday Big Note – Listening Session #16”
Tag: mats/morgan band
Mats & Morgan Play Beefheart
In keeping with the general Beefheartian theme of recent posts, I recently found this video of the Mats/Morgan Band performing Captain Beefheart’s “Lick My Decals Off, Baby”.
Line Up:
Freddie Wadling – lead vocals
Morgan Ågren – drums
Denny Walley – guitar, vocals
Jimmy Ågren – guitar
Rolf Hedquist – bass
Mats Öberg – keyboards, harmonica, vocals
This is largely the same line-up that appears on Denny Walley’s album, Spare Parts (a blues album with backing by the Mats/Morgan band).
Click here for more information on the Mats/Morgan Band’s new CD and DVD release from Cuneiform Records, “Heat Beats Live/Tourbook 1991-2007“.