Ablution

Ablution was a Swedish jazz-rock band that released a self-titled album in 1974 on CBS. Four of its members played in the earlier one-off Baltik. The band also included two-thirds of English hard-rockers Quatermass.

Members: Barry de Souza (drums, trumpet), Björn J:son Lindh (flute, piano), Janne Schaffer (guitar), John Gustafson (bass), Malando Gassama (percussion), Ola Brunkert (drums, percussion), Pete Robinson (piano, clarinet)

Ablution was a spinoff of Baltik, a Swedish/international super-project that yielded a self-titled album in 1973. That project included three veterans of the local jazz and pop scenes: guitarist Janne Schaffer, flutist/pianist Björn J:son Lindh, and drummer Ola Brunkert, plus Gambian percussionist Malando Gassama and English bassist John Gustafson (Hard Stuff). In Abultion, the five were joined by two additional English musicians: drummer Barry De Souza and keyboardist Peter Robinson (Sun Treader). Gustafson and Robinson were two-thirds of the 1970 hard-rock one-off Quatermass.

Ablution was released on the Swedish branch of CBS in 1974. The album contains seven tracks, bookended by the Gustafson compositions “Bluegaloo” and “The Visitor” (9:50). Robinson contributed “The Nard Finished Third” and “Equator.” Lindh composed “Third Meter Stroll” and the two-part-title track. One short cut, “Woodchurch Sorceress,” is credited to all three writers. The album was recorded at Stockholm’s Europa Film Studios and produced by Anders Henriksson (Tages, Blond, Life, Ginhouse).

Gustafson went on to a three-album stint with the Ian Gillan Band. Schaffer maintained a solo career amid numerous sessions, including most of ABBA‘s output. Gassama joined jazz-rockers Resa and stayed active with sessions work. Robinson notched numerous backing credits (Three Man Army, Al Stewart, Stanley Clarke, Phil Collins) and joined Brand X in 1978.

Discography:

• Ablution (1974)

Sources:

• Discogs: Ablution