Mad - Paul and his Gang 2003 Paul Bocciolone Strandberg from Sweden,...(More)

Mad - Paul and his Gang 2003 Paul Bocciolone Strandberg from Sweden, cornet player, singer and teacher of early jazz, started as a bandleader in 1973. Since then he has been heading several successful jazz orchestras and taken part in the major events on the traditional jazz scene in Europe. At the appearance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 1982 he was honored with the "Certificate of Merit" by the Mayor of the City. Paul and his Gang was founded in 1990 and won the most prestigious orchestra competition at Europe's biggest festival for traditional jazz in Breda, Holland two years later. In his website Paul describes his musicians: I first heard Dymitr Markiewicz already back in 1965 when he visited Sweden for the first time to play trombone with a rather rough but enthusiastic Polish orchestra. The multi- reed man Lars-Erik Ström was to me a well established « modern » musician. l happened to give him a call at a moment when he had just quit one of Sweden's (and Europe's) leading Big Bands. That was about ten years ago. When l was in desperate need of a tuba player in the beginning of the 80's, l came across Jonas Eilert, who came from the brass band tradition playing also trombone and trumpet but from then on specializing on sousaphone. From the beginning of the band there have been many occasions where we had to play without a piano (this was before the digital piano's came about) and to serve us the chords Dennis Johnsson on banjo came in handy Then we took a daring step. We added another very personal voice to this weIl balanced, strong line-up. Marie-Christine « Kiki » Desplat from Paris, surely one of the few first-class female cornet players in the world, was a breath of fresh air to the well reputed French traditional jazz scene when she entered it at the end of the 80's. l first heard her play at the Breda Jazz Festival with The Watergate Seven in 1991. A friend of mine called me and said: « Look at this girl ! I never saw anyone so happy about what he or she is doing in any profession or activity. » And my reaction when she played is best described by a reference to jazz history; Armstrong when hearing Bix said, "There's someone as serious about music as myself" note: In the youtube featured tunes recorded in 2003 Kiki plays piano. We all look forward to see and hear Kiki playing the trumpet in future clips as well. Paul has several CD's available. These can be ordered from his website at http://www.paulandhisgang.com/cd.htm (The not often played tune "Mad" is one of my favourite melodies. It originates from a 1923 recording from another Paul. Paul Mares and his New Orleans Rhythm Kings was already a hot band and an inspiration to Bix Beiderbecke(Less)