Sven Klang’s Quintet: A Little Gem
Sven Klangs Kvintett
Everywhere you turn these days there are lists. 100 Books to Read Before You Die. The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The 50 Best Travel Destinations. You get the idea…
Hidden away amongst these lists you might find the 10 or 25 Best Jazz Films. Admittedly, not such a mainstream interest. But some great jazz documentaries, biopics and dramas have been made over the years.
And I’d include in my list Jazz On A Summer's Day (a film record of the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival), Robert Mugge's documentary, Sun Ra: A Joyful Noise and Bertrand Tavernier’s drama Round Midnight.
But there are other, lesser-known, films that rarely seem to make the grade. And surely ought to. For my money, one of them is Sven Klangs Kvintett (Sven Klang’s Quintet). Released in Sweden in 1976, it’s a minor classic, capturing perfectly the mood of a small-town jazz band looking to try new directions.
Rocking the boat
Set in 1958, the film charts the story of a part-time jazz combo playing standards (and playing it safe) at weddings and dance halls. Looking to add melodic depth and enrich the group’s sound, Sven Klang, the bassist and band leader (played by Anders Granström) engages a new alto saxophonist (Christer Boustedt).
With experience of the Stockholm club scene, Boustedt introduces the band to the world of bebop. Suddenly, improvisation, complex harmonies and virtuoso solos are the name of the game.
As he explains to the other musicians, inside every one of us there’s a star that lost its light. Music can restore this light. But only if it’s unaffected, authentic and played from the heart.
The impact is dramatic. And, with a nod to bebop pioneer Charlie Parker, the band explores new sonic possibilities. The other band members welcome the liberatory potential offered by the new music. But, unsurprisingly, the smug, brilliantined bandleader is wrongfooted by these developments.
Tensions rise. And arguments develop over Klang’s overbearing attitude, his preference for bland, money-making conformity, and his fear of change. Inevitably, this leads to a collision between the two main characters and the eventual break-up of the group.
Music has no boundaries
The film is as good a depiction of life in a jazz band as you get. And director Stellan Olsson captured in a well-observed film both the mood of the times, the excitement that accompanies the discovery of new artistic directions and the impact this has on the characters’ lives.
The cinemaphotography is a delight. The music’s a treat. And the acting spot-on, with Boustedt, a fine musician in his own right, supplying a powerful performance.
Ultimately, the film reminds us that music is an essential part of human existence. It stimulates our emotions. Connects us to others. And provides the soundtrack to our lives.
It’s both an art form and a way of life. Where you need to keep pushing the boundaries to stay fresh and retain your authenticity. As Charlie Parker said about the act of making music, “If you don't live it, it won't come out your horn.”