Georg Wadenius - "Cleo" (1987)

Georg "Jojje" Wadenius is one of Sweden's most successful musicians internationally. He's primarily a guitar player, but also plays a number of other instruments as well as writing and producing music. He was among other things member of Made In Sweden a number of years, later a member of Blood, Sweat and Tears 1972-1975. Between 1979-1985 he was a member of the Saturday Night Live house band, and during these years he was also used a lot as a studio musician in New York. In addition to this he has recorded a lot of his own albums and participated on others, and diligently toured. He has a crazy long cv. For people of my generation, he's probably most famous for the music of the children's TV-shows Kalles Klätterträd (Kalle's Climbing Tree) and Farbrorn som inte vill va stor (The man who doesn't want to be a grownup), especially the opening song of the former is a classic everyone in Sweden in my generation can sing along to. As I understand, he lives in Oslo (Norway) today and continues with his music rather intensely.

Side A of Cleo was recorded 1987 in Sweden with Swedish musicians, while side B was recorded in New York in 1984 with American musicians. Wadenius has written all the music. I haven't been able to find facts concerning the background of the album, whether this layout was planned from the beginning or if the record company simply took a number of leftovers and created a record. Personally, I found the album in any online store where it was sold out cheaply, and I had such a respect for the name of Wadenius that I thought it was worth a chance.

However, the album is nothing for me. The music can be described as lightweight fusion - instrumental songs, with airy arrangements where the guitar is mostly in focus. But the music tends to almost cross the street into the elevator music genre. It's a gentle, soft sound, and the songs just slip off me like baby oil. Nothing takes hold of me. The fact that it was recorded in the 80's is unfortunately heard, since the decade puts a clear mark on the music, especially the typical synthesizers, and in some song electronic drums. I have never liked the 80's production.

I'm sure the musicians on the album are among the best to be found, but that doesn't help. Perhaps it may work as background music at home, when I want to have some kind of easily digested music that doesn't require any emotional commitment. If you like a semi-jazzy fusion of the soft and nice kind, it might be something for you. Personally, I'd rather listen to the music Wadenius wrote for the kids TV-shows.


Tracklist

Side A
1 Cleo 4:57
2 Caribbean Stride 6:11
3 Atlantis 4:20
4 A Gilly Soose 3:45

Side B
1 Gravity Boots 7:48
2 The Lady Laughs 5:25
3 Delusions Of Adequacy 3:47