Mezzoforte still funky after all these years

43 years after the first and greatest hit single of them all, “Garden Party” – the sound of 1983 – the Icelandic funk-pop band Mezzoforte is not the same. It’s better. And the musicians keep getting better year by year, still very obviously having a lot of fun with the well-known old tunes. Not only “Garden Party” – which makes the audience stand up and dance for the first time – but also the traditional medley of “blasts from the past” at the end: a tight and very playful mix of “Midnight Sun”, “Spring Fever”, and “Rockall”.

In fact, the band has not added any new tunes for the last several years, and most of them are from the ’80s – but why bother, if these old gems still have an effect? And they really do. First and foremost, because the musicians insist on making little changes along the way, including a more raw attitude, thanks to the always very present and versatile guitar player Fridrik Karlsson. He puts a strong and sometimes rather tough rock ’n’ roll edge into the very smooth and intense funk atmosphere – and here he is in great competition (and tight interaction) with the Swedish saxophone player Jonas Wall. Much of the concert is somewhat of a showcase of what Wall can create on the horn. Long, intense, imaginative solos.

But actually, it doesn’t seem quite fair to pick out individual musicians, because Mezzoforte is very clearly a team, a group of very good friends having fun together, giving each other a lot of space for long, fascinating, and captivating solos. Classy and complex, that is what Mezzoforte is, filled with a huge amount of very great and very catchy tunes, sparkling and at the same time always filled with a lot of tiny little details that make you want to hear more and more. And more.

So yes, we have heard them all before, and some might even know them by title – “Happy Hour”, “Daybreak”, “Hitchhiker”, “Roller Coaster”, and the ever-rising “Beyond the Horizon” – but they are all still very interesting and very catchy, because Mezzoforte can keep delivering them with a fresh attitude. And with smiles on all faces. And with an impressively high amount of energy. To every song, they add that little bit extra that makes you want to go to a Mezzoforte concert again and again.

And a small, but rather important detail: Mezzoforte is very obviously put together with not only great musicians, but also great friends who allow each other to blossom on stage. A solo from one musician often makes one of the other musicians make a little gesture to let us know that – hey, applause would come in handy here. After nearly two hours filled with a lot of very tight and very catchy funk/pop/jazz – you are ready for another two hours. At least.

And well, if you still need to point out just one musician to give him extra credit, it just has to be the extremely talented bass player Johann Amundsson, who keeps surprising us. Just when you think that one of his solos can’t be more impressive, he doubles the tempo. Or he plays small melodies on the bass as if it were a guitar. Just like that. No sweat. So easy, so nice. But again, Mezzoforte is a team effort. And a constantly impressive one. Not many bands – if any – are still so tight, sharp, well-playing, and relevant just a few months before their anniversary. Next year, in 2027, they will have played together – at least four of the current six members – for an astounding 50 years. That anniversary has to be celebrated with more concerts in most of the members’ hometowns, Reykjavik. And we simply have to be there.

In the meantime, it would be nice to have someone record a couple of concerts. As permanent proof of how great the band actually is. Earlier recordings from Reykjavik and Bratislava are simply not enough, because the band keeps evolving. It keeps having – and spreading – good funk vibes and fun. Thank you very much. The garden party has just begun.

Mezzoforte, Skraaen in Aalborg, Denmark, Wednesday the 27th of May.