Kornet -

Kornet was a Swedish jazz-rock band that released the 1976/77 albums Kornet and Fritt Fall, followed by a 1979 digital EP and a final album, Kornet III.

Members: Stefan Nilsson (keyboards), Sten Forsman (bass, cello), Åke Sundqvist (drums, percussion), Allan Lundström (saxophone), Stefan Björklund (guitar), Johan Engström (flute, guitar), Ed Epstein (saxophone), Örjan Fahlström (percussion)

Background

Kornet formed at Framnäs College in Öjebyn, Piteå, in 1974 when guitarist Stefan Björklund, drummer Åke Sundqvist, and keyboardist Stefan Nilsson coalesced as a trio. Vibraphonist Anders Jonsson and bassist Sten Forsman soon joined the lineup, and the group expanded its early arrangements with additional brass, woodwinds, and strings.

Kornet

Kornet released their self-titled debut album in February 1976 on Manifest.

Kornet set multiple instruments into open arrangements where rhythm, color, and ensemble movements carry as much weight as any single lead line. Electric guitarist Stefan Björklund and pianist-electric pianist-ARP synthesist Stefan Nilsson shape much of the album’s harmonic movement, while bassist-cello player Sten Forsman, who adds cello to “Friska fläktar,” holds the rhythmic center with drummer-conguero-vibraphonist-French horn player Åke Sundqvist, who adds French horn to “Jojk” and vibraphone to “Friska fläktar.”

“Friska fläktar” brings in acoustic guitar from flutist Johan Engström. “Musik ur filmen Adam’s Födelse” adds xylophone, vibraphone, tam-tam, percussion, and bass drum from percussionist-mallet player Anders Jonsson, plus bassoon from guest Jan Skoglund. Saxophonist Allan Lundström broadens the ensemble color across the album.

A1. “Skriket från vildmarken” [The Scream from the Wilderness] (3:08) — Björklund
A2. “Sju hungriga år” [Seven Hungry Years] (4:45) — Nilsson
A3. “Jojk” [Joik (a traditional Sami vocal music)] (5:16) — arranged by Nilsson
A4. “Friska fläktar” [Fresh Breezes] (5:05) — Nilsson

B1. “Frunk” [portmanteau of ‘funk’ and ‘frantic’] (3:45) — Sundqvist
B2. “Intrude, tretaktar’n” [Intrude, The Three-Beater (or Three-Quarter Time)] (7:08) — Nilsson
B3. “Pygges Blues” [Pygge’s Blues (Pygge likely a nickname)] (3:43) — Björklund
B4. “Musik ur filmen Adam’s Födelse” [Music from the film Adam’s Birth] (3:40) — Jonsson

Kornet recorded Kornet in September 1975 at MNW Studio in Vaxholm with engineer Tommy Berkert. Manifest produced the album. Derid, Svanberg, Wixe, and Erstam designed the cover.

Fritt Fall

Kornet released their second album, Fritt Fall, in December 1977 on Manifest.

Keyboardist Stefan Nilsson (grand piano, electric piano, Minimoog, Clavinet, ARP synthesizer) drives most of the writing and much of the harmonic movement, while guitarist Stefan Björklund (electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin), bassist Sten Forsman (electric bass, double bass), and drummer Åke Sundqvist (drums, percussion, chimes, timpani, glockenspiel, French horn) give the album its rhythmic and textural core.

Saxophonist Ed Epstein (soprano, tenor, baritone) adds changing reed colors across the album. Percussionist Örjan Fahlström (vibraphone, marimba, percussion, synthesizer) supplies a second layer of tuned percussion, and flutist Torbjörn Eklund appears on the longer ensemble pieces. “Sista Skriket” also brings in congas from Sabú Martínez and marimba-chimes from Anders Jonsson, “Bilder Om Våren” adds cor anglais from Nils Holmstedt, and “Darjantan” includes voice from Martínez.

A1. “Lyrisk Olåt” [Lyrical Nuisance/Discord] (3:54) — Fahlström
A2. “Sista Skriket” [The Last Scream] (9:27) — Nilsson
A3. “Bilder Om Våren” [Pictures of Spring] (7:06) — Nilsson
B1. “Plåtniklas” [Tin Nicholas] (7:10) — Nilsson
B2. “Skotten John” [John the Scotsman] (5:57) — Nilsson
B3. “Darjantan” [invented word] (6:33) — Nilsson

Kornet recorded and mixed Fritt Fall in July 1977 at Metronome Studio, Stockholm. Janne Hansson engineered the album and cut the lacquer. Manifest held the phonographic copyright, and AB Svensk Grammofonindustri handled the pressing.

Erik Svanberg designed the cover. Bertil Sundstedt supplied the painting, and Hå-Ge Wiktorsson and Ralph Berndtsson handled the photography.

Kornet III

Kornet released their numerical third album in March 1980 on Svenska Love.

Keyboardist Stefan Nilsson (Rhodes electric piano, Minimoog, synthesizer, piano, Farfisa organ) shapes much of the album’s harmonic movement. Around him, the ensemble centers on guitarist Stefan Björklund (guitar, percussion), multi-instrumentalist Sten Forsman (fretless bass, flute, vocals), percussionist Örjan Fahlström (vibraphone, chimes, ARP Solina String Ensemble, percussion), and drummer Åke Sundqvist (drums, percussion, timbales, calimba, chimes, bells).

“Florant Florant” adds voice from producer-engineer Michael Bruun, “Lailet Hob” draws on an Egyptian traditional source arranged by Sundqvist, “Stararnas vår / Brainstorming” expands the group with Allan Botchinsky on flugelhorn, Aske Bentzon on lyricon, Erling Kroner on trombone, Ture Larsen on trombone and bass trombone, Palle Mikkelborg on trumpet, and Lars Togeby on trumpet and flugelhorn, and “Folklåt” adds voice from Anna Lotta Larsson.

A1. “Florant Florant” (4:22) — Fahlström
A2. “Apollinaris” [Apollinaris (aka Apollo)] (5:27) — Forsman
A3. “Lailet Hob” [Night of Love (Arabic)] (8:25) — Egyptian traditional, arranged by Sundqvist

B1. “Stararnas vår / Brainstorming” [The Starlings’ Spring / Brainstorming] (7:42) — Nilsson
B2. “Folklåt” [Folk Tune/Song] (10:00) — Nilsson

Kornet recorded and mixed Kornet III in June 1979 at Werner Studio, Copenhagen. Michael Bruun engineered the album and co-produced it with the band. Jesper Ismael designed the cover, a simple sunset image with a stylized logo.

Digital Master / Direct Cut

In 1979, Kornet released Digital Master / Direct Cut, a direct-to-digital EP on Polydor.

The sleeve explains that one side came from a digital/PCM master while the other was cut direct, framing the record as a technical demonstration as well as a Kornet release. The group at this stage comprised keyboardist Stefan Nilsson, guitarist Stefan Björklund, bassist Sten Forsman, percussionist Örjan Fahlström, and drummer Åke Sundqvist.

A1. “Strutti’n” (4:53)
A2. “Jespers drömmar” [Jesper’s Dreams] (4:18)

B1. “727” (6:50)

Kornet recorded the EP at Metronome Studio in June 1979. The package presents the project in unusually technical terms, with notes on the recording concept, session setup, and the contrast between PCM mastering and direct cutting.

Discography: