Mezzoforte (band)
Mezzoforte is an instrumental jazz-funk fusion band from Iceland, formed in 1977.[1]
They signed a record deal with Icelandic label
UK Singles Chart. The solo that takes place two minutes into "Garden Party", was created and played on the flugelhorn by English trumpeter, Stephen Dawson.[2] "Garden Party" was later covered by Herb Alpert, at a slower speed than the original, apparently as he had learned the track from the single played at the wrong speed.[1] Another single, "Rockall" spent one week at number 75 in the same listing in June that year, and was used as a signature tune by several European radio chart shows.[1][2]
The band was named after the traditional
mezzo forte
, an instruction to play literally "moderately loud".
Band members
Original line-up from 1977:
- Eyþór Gunnarsson – keyboards
- Jóhann Ásmundsson – bass
- Gunnlaugur Briem-Gulli Briem (Gulli) – drums
- Friðrik Karlsson (Frissi) – guitars
Other members, present and past:
- Bruno Müller – guitars (2005–present)
- Sebastian Studnitzky – trumpet & keyboards (2005–present)
- Thomas Dyani – percussion (2004–present)
- Jonas Wall – saxophones (2013–present)
- Ari Bragi Karason – trumpet
- Staffan William-Olsson – guitars (2003–2004)
- Joel Palsson – saxophones (2003)
- Guðmundur Pétursson – guitars (2003)
- Óskar Guðjónsson – saxophones (1996–2003, 2005–2013)
- Kåre Kolve – saxophones (1991–1994)
- Björn Thorarensen – synthesizers (1980–1982)
- Kristinn Svavarsson – saxophones (1982–1985)
- David O'Higgins – saxophones (1985–1989, 2002–2004)
- Jeroen De Rijk – percussion (1984–1986)
Discography
Albums
Studio albums
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ICE [3] |
AUS [4] |
GER [5] |
NL [6] |
NOR [7] |
SWE [8] |
SWI [9] |
UK [10] | ||
Mezzoforte | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Í Hakanum |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Þvílíkt Og Annað Eins |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
4 |
|
1 | 46 | 33 | 10 | — | — | — | 28 |
Yfirsýn |
|
7 | — | 39 | — | 6 | 46 | 23 | — |
Rising |
|
10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
No Limits |
|
9 | — | — | — | 12 | — | — | — |
Playing for Time |
|
8 | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | — |
Daybreak |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Monkey Fields |
|
7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Forward Motion |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Volcanic |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Islands |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |
Live albums
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
---|---|---|
ICE [3] | ||
Sprellifandi |
|
1 |
Live in Reykjavik |
|
— |
Live from London |
|
— |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart. |
Compilation albums
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
---|---|---|---|
ICE [3] |
UK [10] | ||
Catching up with Mezzoforte – Early Recordings |
|
— | 95 |
The Saga So Far |
|
4 | — |
Best Collection |
|
— | — |
Fortissimos | 7 | — | |
Garden Party Time – The Best of Mezzoforte |
|
— | — |
The Very Best of Mezzoforte |
|
— | — |
Anniversary Edition |
|
— | — |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |
Video albums
Title | Album details |
---|---|
High Voltage |
|
Live in Reykjavik |
|
Live from London – Live from the Marquee Club |
|
Singles
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ICE [12] |
AUS [4] |
BE (FL) [13] |
GER [5] |
IRE [14] |
NL [15] |
UK
[16] | ||
"Dreamland"/"Shooting Star" | 1982 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
"Garden Party" | 1983 | 8 | 32 | 10 | 36 | 23 | 5 | 17 |
"Rockall" | — | — | 31 | — | — | 43 | 75 | |
"Midnight Express" (live) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
"Midnight Sun" | 1984 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 102[17] |
"Spring Fever" | — | — | — | — | — | — | 100 | |
"Take Off | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
"Taking Off" (vocal mix) | 1985 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
"Garden Party" (sunshine mix) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
"This Is the Night" (featuring Noel McCalla) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
"Nothing Lasts Forever" (featuring Noel McCalla) | 1986 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
"No Limit" | 1987 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
"Expressway" | 1989 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
"High Season" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
"Better Love" | 1991 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
"After Hours" | 1994 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
"Step Right Back" | 1996 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
"Monkey Fields" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
"Garden Party" (2002 remix) | 2002 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
"Hún veit hvað ég vil" (with Auður) | 2020 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
"Broke n Hip" | 2021 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |
References
- ^ ISBN 0-7535-0159-7, p. 321
- ^ ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ a b c Peak positions for Mezzoforte's albums in Iceland:
- Mezzoforte: "Vísir - 15. Tölublað (18.01.1980)". timarit.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2022-05-19.
- 4: "Dagblaðið Vísir - DV - 253. tölublað (05.11.1982)". timarit.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2022-05-19.
- Sprellifandi: "Dagblaðið Vísir - DV - 223. tölublað (30.09.1983)". timarit.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2022-05-19.
- Yfirsýn: "Dagblaðið Vísir - DV - 289. tölublað (16.12.1983)". timarit.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2022-05-19.
- Rising: "Dagblaðið Vísir - DV - 273. tölublað (14.12.1984)". timarit.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2022-05-19.
- The Saga So Far: "Dagblaðið Vísir - DV - 244. tölublað (25.10.1985)". timarit.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2022-05-20.
- No Limits: "Dagblaðið Vísir - DV - 268. tölublað (21.11.1986)". timarit.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2022-05-19.
- Playing for Time: "Dagblaðið Vísir - DV - 123. tölublað (02.06.1989)". timarit.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2022-05-19.
- Fortissimos: "Dagblaðið Vísir - DV - 256. tölublað (08.11.1991)". timarit.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2022-05-20.
- Monkey Fields: "Dagblaðið Vísir - DV - Fjörkálfurinn (25.10.1996)". timarit.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2022-05-19.
- ^ ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ a b "Suche - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
- ^ "Dutch Charts - dutchcharts.nl". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
- ^ "norwegiancharts.com - Norwegian charts portal". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
- ^ "swedishcharts.com - Swedish Charts Portal". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
- ^ "Die Offizielle Schweizer Hitparade - hitparade.ch". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
- ^ a b "MEZZOFORTE | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
- ^ "Morgunblaðið - 254. tölublað (07.11.1999) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
- ^ "Dagblaðið Vísir - DV - 59. tölublað (11.03.1983)". timarit.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2022-05-20.
- ^ "ultratop.be - ULTRATOP BELGIAN CHARTS". www.ultratop.be. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
- ^ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 2022-04-19.
- ^ "Dutch Charts - dutchcharts.nl". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
- ^ "TOM ROBINSON | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
- ^ "UK Singles Charts: 1984 (including chart panel sales)". UKMIX Forums. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mezzoforte.
- mezzoforte.com (official site)
- Mezzoforte at AllMusic
- Mezzoforte discography at Discogs
- gullibriem.com (Gulli Briem's site)
- thefeelgoodcollection.com (Fridrik Karlsson's site)
- bruno-mueller-music.de (Bruno Müller's site)
- studnitzky.de (Sebastian Studnitzky's site)
- jookraus.de (Joo Kraus' site)