Samla Mammas Manna

by Alex HendersonAlthough little known in the U.S., the experimental and quirky jazz-fusion/progressive rock outfit Samla Mammas Manna has enjoyed a following in Scandinavia since the early 1970s. Samla was formed in Uppsala, Sweden in 1969, when its original lineup consisted of keyboardist Lars Hollmer, bassist Lars Krantz, drummer Hans Bruniusson and percussionist Karl Henrik "Bebben" Berg. Samla called its studio the Chicken House, which was so-named because it really was built on a former chicken house that had belonged to Hollmer's mother. It was at the Chicken House that Samla recorded its self-titled debut album of 1971 for Silence Records. Berg left the group that year, and Samla spent several months as a trio before guitarist Coste Apetrea came on board in 1972. Samla's second album Maltid (Meal Time), came out on Silence in 1974 and was followed by Klossa Knapitatet (also on Silence) in 1975 and the MNW release Snorungarnas Symfoni (Symphony of the Brats) in 1976. In 1977, Apetrea left the group and was replaced by Eino Haapala, who is featured on the Silence double-LP For Aldre Nybegynnare/Schlagerns Mystik. Samla, which continued to go through personnel changes, changed its name to Zamla Mammaz Manna in the late 1970s, and in 1980, it recorded Familjesprickor (Family Cracks) before breaking up. Then, in 1990, the name Samla Mammas Manna was reborn after Bruniusson, Apetrea, Hollmer and Krantz got to reminiscing about old times at Bruniusson's 40th birthday party and decided to hold a reunion concert. The 1990s found the reunited group performing live shows in Scandinavia here and there and recording for the Swedish Amigo label.