The Swedish trio FATANG plays traditional folk music from the province of Uppland as well as their own new compositions. Their mix of key fiddle (nyckelharpa), modern electric bass / guitar, and an exotic variety of percussion makes for an exciting sound with limitless possibilities. Their intense and imaginative music is full of magical resonance and inviting dance rhythms. ----- April 10, 2004, Östgöta Correspondenten, concert review by Gunnar Ekermo A Meeting of Musical Styles: Linköping's Jazz Orchestra and Fatang These days, many attempts are made to blend and bring together differing musical styles. Although this can be both fun and exhilarating, it doesn't necessarily mean that the results are always good or even worthwhile! Magnus Ericsson, leader of the Linköping Jazz Orchestra, has an uncanny knack for creating meaningful encounters of this sort that tend to be wonderful musical conversations and exchanges, as opposed to just unpleasant collisions. Last year the hip-hop group, Ship of Fools, was invited to jam with the orchestra; this year the folk music trio Fatang, consisting of nyckelharpa, guitar and percussion, were special guests. It might seem at first glance that these are two musical entities too divergent to mesh into any sort of meaningful harmony, but it worked-mostly because of impressive arrangements in which traditional folk melodies were jazzed up with great skill and impeccably good taste. The evening's musical encounter had leanings not of folk musicians interpreting jazz, but rather the other way around. Among the jazz band's own, I enjoyed Nils Odelstam's trombone solo the most. He's the current youth scholarship intern. Magnus Ericsson's soprano sax in unison with the nyckelharpa wasn't too shabby either. Rustic three-beat nyckelharpa tunes by Byss-Calle may not be a match made in heaven for a die-hard big band enthusiast, but it certainly was an inspired combination for a flirtatious one-night stand which definitely left the audience wanting more. -----