Rezension 28.10.08 / Rheinische Morgenpost / v. Ralf Mutz

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Harald Haugaard pflegt mit seiner Band "Serras" den Heavy-Folk

Minden (rgr). Jedes Mal, wenn der dänische Geiger Harald Haugaard auf der Bühne des BÜZ steht, kann er auf eine gewachsene Zahl an Zuhörern blicken. Vor vollen Reihen zeugte der Auftritt mit mit seiner Band Serras, zum Start der dritten Auflage der "Nordischen Reihe", erneut von der hohen Qualität dänischer Folk-Musik.

Dabei ist Folklore nur ein Element der einzigartigen Mixtur, die das Quintett bietet. Mit Jazz und Rock wird sie zu einem neuen Klangerlebnis verschmolzen. Die Gruppe entstand aus dem Versuch, dänischen Tanzstücken des 18. Jahrhunderts ein zeitgemäßes Gewand zu verpassen. Neben Polonaise, Polka, Walzer, Menuett und Marsch gehört mit dem Serras auch die dänische Tanzform dazu, nach der sich die Gruppe genannt hat.

Während einige Titel sehr folkloristisch klingen, wie die Geschichte eines vergeblichen Rettungsversuches von ertrinkenden Matrosen oder "Fyn" (Fünen), mit dem Haugaard seine Heimat so gut beschreibt, dass man sie fast sehen kann, kann man bei anderen die Herkunft mehr erahnen als raushören. Die alten dänischen Tänze oder ein norwegischer Marsch bekommen durch die oft recht kräftigen, komplexen Arrangements ein neues Erscheinungsbild, mit dem sie in jedem Jazz Club punkten würden.

Die im zweiten Teil des Abends vorgestellten Titel von der neuen CD "Ø" (Insel) gehen noch einen Schritt weiter Richtung Rock. Hier bleib vom Folk oft nur ein kurzes musikalisches Thema über, das wie bei einem Rockriff improvisiert wird. Oder man geht den umgekehrten Weg und spielt traditionelle Melodien über treibenden Grooves. Hier ist vielleicht schon ein neuer Musikstil entstanden, den man Heavy-Folk nennen könnte.

Harald Haugaards kraftvolles, bodenständiges Spiel auf der Violine oder der Viola, die er mit einem Cellobogen streicht, glänzt immer mit Raffinesse. Wenn er mit Hans Mydtskovder, der auf dem Saxophon alle Nuancen zwischen luftig sanfter und kräftig erdiger Artikulation beherrscht, erst unisono, dann zweistimmig spielt, bis sich eins der Instrumente löst, um das vom anderen gehaltene Thema zu umspielen, geraten die Zuhörer in Begeisterung.

Immer wichtiger wird Sune Hänsbaeks rockiges Gitarrenspiel, das mit kräftigen Riffs, bluesigen Wah-Wah-Klängen und sphärischen Echokaskaden das Klangbild der Band prägt und nun immer mehr solistisch Raum bekommt. Mit ordentlichem Druck sorgt Mads Riishede am Bass virtuos für den nötigen Groove und interessante Wendungen. Sune Rahbek, der Schlagzeuger, schafft es, volkstümliche und moderne Rhythmik mit viel Einfühlungsvermögen unter einen Hut zu bringen. Die Begeisterung des Publikums ist am Ende kaum zu bremsen.

Als Serras nach der ersten Zugabe zurück auf die Bühne muss, bietet Hans Mydtskov die Wahl zwischen einem schnellen und einem ruhigen Titel. Die Zuhörer entscheiden sich eindeutig für beide.

Rolf Graff - Mindener Tageblatt"

This Danish group's latest opens with a mournful violin, shortly joined by a lone flute, evoking the slower-paced, quieter days of centuries past. Then as the melody comes around again, a trap drumset kicks in, soon followed by a fuzz-toned guitar and it's as if we effortlessly slipped forward two hundred years.
Serras has made its name by creating what is essentially prog-rock, but using 18th century Danish folk tunes as its source material. On their latest, they stretch the formula by writing their own instrumental tunes.  Though the group goes for rock's electricity, the musicians don't flail away to get to an amped up ecstatic state, but channel that energy and passion in measured, precise ways.

The group pumps up the intensity of folk tunes, but they successfully keep the music's soulful essence. The album's first half open with several rockers and "Kirken den er et gammelt hus (The church is an old house)" has a jazzy sax threading its way amid the interlocking melodies.  Though the group is a follk-rock hybrid, its music would be closer to the hearts of King Crimson fans more than what is defined as folk-rock in the U.S., such as Jackson Browne.

The album's latter half gets moodier and more intense, more about jaw-clenching than butt-shaking. On "Caron," the group builds to a crescendo using a electric guitar that sounds like U2's "The Edge."

Despite the grungy tone of Serras's guitars, the group is not about distorting folk tunes. The group does do a bit of Dr. Frankenstein surgery, putting a beefier backbone into the otherwise soft and wooly folk music, but if 18th century Danish villages had Marshall amps and bongs, this very well might have been the sounds that got the young Danes through the dark winter.

Rock in the Violin Case

Serras boiled down 2000 years of musical history to an essence of rocket enthusiasm and joy of playing.

Despite a won Danish Music Award, the name of Danish Serras does not sound familiar with most people but within their field, Serras are unsurpassed on Danish ground. The field is very energetic and instrumental rock with melodic injections from Hans Mydtskov on Saxophone and Clarinet and the jumper, Harald Haugaard, on violin. On the rock side, Mads Riishede played the bass, Sune Hånsbæk the guitar, and Sune Rahbek the drums with a youthful obviousness that did not get in the way of the young colleagues in Mew.

The sound twisted its way symphonically great around a tight, well played, and riff-based rhythm group while the melodic structures of the violin and the saxophone added nuances of traditional folklore. It was a mythological folklore, an ethereal sensitivity, and a magical party atmosphere that was joined by Serras. When it comes to folklore, the band have a faint resemblance to Lars Lilholt (leader of a Danish folk band with the same name).

Most of Serras’ concert characterized a formidable energy that flowed through the band, the sound, and the audience. The energy meant that the good sound queued up to be shot out of the loud speakers, waiting with joy for the coming journey from instruments to ears.

But Serras also demonstrated that they master the silent rock ballad. The song, New Life, from their coming third album, Stand Clear Of The Doosr, Please, was just a silent thing with a guitar solo of the fine kind belonging to it.

On the occasion of SPOT 10, party, and Friday, Serras were according to themselves dressed in their best clothes. This was both visible and audible. Serras acted like a bunch of happy folkies whose universe was impressively communicated. It is experimenting without being lost in fogs of unlimited scrutiny. Within the genre, Serras played a very rocky version of folk music and they did it convincingly.

There was once a west coast band – the American west coast that is – which was called: It's A Beautiful Day and they understood that a violin is the ultimate rock instrument.

You could say the same about Danish Serras that, indeed, have got a good grasp of their expression, combining competently played rock with brilliant violin and the really deep folk roots, however by now, with an attack that ought to lead to a broad break through but that are, perhaps, too hard-core as well for e.g. The Tønder Festival. We will see.

Serras have with Harald Haugaard an electrical violinist at a very high level, and if you add to this: guitar, saxophone, and compositions of the same unequalled standard with a vengeance that means business, because the sound and the concept are unique, one must prostrate oneself.

In the very exciting Danish folk revival, Serras are simply a puffing locomotive ready for action. Here are Irish currents, Nordic tone, and then, constantly, this snarling rock sound, all played with even more nerve that reeks of a band that play well together and have developed their common sound thus, they now stand out whole.

Serras have simply made a folk rock album which is close to the best one ever from a Danish group. Music that reaches out far and deserves international attention.

Serras create their own universe

About 25 years ago, when I first experienced Runrig at The Tønder Festival, I felt a rush. The Scottish musicians revolutionized folk music with their intense folk rock and it went straight to my blood.

What has that got to do with Danish Serras? Quite a bit actually: I can feel the rush. Those shivers down my spine from the thrill of experiencing the birth of something great.

Just as their Scottish colleagues, Serras take a starting point in the roots of their native country. For Serras, the Danish tunes of the 18th century have also inspired the band’s third CD: Stand Clear Of The Closing Doors, Please.

But contrary to earlier, the musicians of Serras, this time to a large extend, have composed most of the tunes themselves.

The result is: impressive and experimenting folk rock that gets an even more consistent style and gets the unmistakable character of Serras: Instrumental music played with an irresistible energy, a saturated intense sound lead by a brilliantly playing and almost toying violinist, Harald Haugaard, who is framed by well and sometimes crudely played guitar and bass from Sune Hånsbek and Mads Riishede, Sune Rahbek’s excited drums, and Hans Mydtskov’s supreme saxophone.

It is done with love of Danish folk music and a flair, so the folk music is treated with respect in contrast to the current and energetic hard rock that Serras expose the history of music to.

With Stand Clear Of The Closing Doors, Please, Serras have created a new universe in folk music, not only in this country (Denmark), but also on the international stage. Someone may already have whispered this in the ears of Serras. At least, both title and cover are international; made ready for an adventure abroad which is not new to Serras. Both the band and Harald Haugaard have on several occasions been used as a cultural spearhead of Denmark abroad. Feel the rush yourself!

Second Hand, the second CD from new Danish folk-rock stars Serras, is a quantum leap forward from their debut. Serras essentially stick to their mission of updating traditional music from the 18th century, but the results leave behind the wayward histrionics of their earlier effort. Goodbye, arbitrary use of snore-inducing saxophone blowing; hello, dynamic folk interpretations and a nod towards light electronica influences. Serras play their rock cards strongly, tearing solidly through old tunes from Copenhagen, introducing a darker, funkier groove that simmers with intensity. Harald Haugaard's fiddle playing is remarkable, Mads Riishede's bass bubbles, and the drumming of Sune Rahbek comes darn near stealing the show. Serras are settling into a 'modern primitivist' sound that one might associate with other bands from the North, but they haven't distanced themselves from sounding like organic folk-rock in the vein of an instrumental Fairport Convention. True, Serras have their prog leanings, but the combination of percussive madness and Jews harp underpinning the circa 1780 "Blowzabella" proves that Serras are swiftly evolving into a group to watch with anticipation.

Digging back three centuries to unearth vanished melodies composed by almost forgotten musicians, Serras turn the antique into something spectacular. This my friend is reincarnations rather than recreation. In gloriously cavalier fashion and with bravado similar to swedish neighbours Den Fule, Serras create soundscapes so huge, the echoes and resounds a thousand times. It shifts and reflects a myriad shades and moods across a considerable spectrum. The concept may sound simple but it’s one rooted in steady philosophy. Fiddler Harald Haugaard is an all round folk scholar with long involvement in Dansih trad, the rhythm section are fellow travellers from electric folkies DUG, while saxohonist Hans Mydtskov comes in left from improvisation and blues, still more they’ve a killer guitarist in Sune Hånsbæk. The resulting fusion could have turned out wildly unfocussed; add in a judicious amount of electronics and programming and the margin for unpredictability widens. However, such is the unity of vision that the whole hangs together with remarkable clarity. It’s an attitude obviously shared by producer Torben Sminge whose contributuib here shouldn’t be underestimated. From the opening roar of Dronningens Contillion, the pace is break neck through out.

You won't be misleaded by the CD-cover, which is almost identical to the mini-CD that came out almost a year ago. This is the official CD, the 1st one of the Danish group, which introduces 10 pieces (= tunes) on top of the 3 others (from the miniCD).
I get ready for listening to the music, while I imagine a continuity in the sonority of the beginning: it really reveals the identical instrumentation of the DUG. From DUG, we find Harald Haugaard playing the violin, Sune Rahbek at the drums and Mads Riishede playing the bass - or three quarters of Serras. The saxophone of Anja Mikkelsen is replaced by the one of Hans Mydtskov, while the accordion of Jesper Vinther Petersen is replaced by the guitar of  Sune Hånsbæk and offers the only substantial innovation.
What a surprise when I established the sonoric maturity, … Now we are facing a hard sound: potent and agressive, a little comparable with techno-dance, but don't be surprised… the traditional pulse, with more vivid than ever! 
Don't ask me to name this (kind of) music, 'cause it would be impossible. Haugaard calls it hyperfolk and maybe he's right: a folk open to any influences and devellopments but that doesn't loose it’s peculiar characteristics. Something that is harder yet more acoustic and jazzy and rhythmical. 
These Danish musicians never stop to amaze you! You see them playing on stage with their instruments, but you can immediatly see that: these are professionals standing in front of you, 5 determined persons who have a great knowledge of tradition, a born mastery, the fantasy and the inspiration is enormous: and all this we can only find in the scandinavian countries. Compared to the rest of Europe, the Scandinavian countries are more progressive in music. The music that Serras makes isn't folk music of the past century, but it's the folk that will be played in the future! Because the love for tradition will express itself by the one who regenerates (improves something). 
What's seriousness? : It's to found a group in the beginning of the year, and immediatly come out with a miniCD, perform at the best European stages, and to come out with a first full CD at the end of September, containing 2 pieces that were recorded live at the Tønder Festival (28 August). Talking about a great month! 

It's no wonder that all the foreign musicians envy the Danish! 

"Funk from Funen originating in the late 18th century, at which time the fiddler Rasmus Storm roamed the neighbourhood of Fåborg. 
The yellowed notes containing the music, with which Storm, Christian Svabonius and others filled the dance floors, is given a new lease of life by Serras after having fallen into oblivion for a couple of centuries. These exceedingly durable melodies have come into the hands of a group of young musicians whose arrangements of them have a contemporary sound. Coming from backgrounds in rock, funk and folk, the musicians of Serras juggle the melodies to create, in their most tender passages, moments of intense beauty. Somehow such moments never seem out of date. "Den Våde" twists and turns its way through a soprano saxophone, around steady guitar echoes only to transmute into a heavy rock-waltz before being given free reign over an airy accompaniment of drums, bass and guitar, ending finally in a clear violin version. 
Rasmus Storm's verdict would probably be: "Thumbs up!" He is less likely to approve of the treatment of his melody "Serras" which, albeit treated with respect, is converted into foaming energy discharges of swaggering guitar and growling sax.Even Storm's instrumentsake on the violin joins in, producing sounds that are distinctly of this century. 

Serras is high-strung, energetic music for those with curiosity and the urge to dance intact."

"Visionary and exuberant folk rock"

The quintet Serras has made an extravagant success of mixing folk music with elements from contemporary rock – uninhibited, visionary and exuberant folk music. Extravagant words to match an extravagant and bold CD. Based in Funen, folk musician Harald Haugaard and jazz/rock musician Hans Mydtskov are the anchormen of Serras, specializing in contemporary, highly experimental and deeply loyal interpretations of 18th century Danish folk music. The tracks on the quintet's debut album are mainly traditional dances, as committed to paper by Rasmus Storm, Otto von Raben and Jens Christian Svabonius in their respective music books.
The five musicians, all graduates from academies of music and rooted in folk, rock, jazz, funk and pop, bring to Serras elements from different genres and merge these numerous musical expressions in a varied, flamboyant and vivid picture poem.
The constellation of guitar, saxophone, drums, bass and violin with the further addition of loops, samples and electronic sound lifts Serras out of the complacency characteristic of the folk music bands that play first fiddle in the nineties. "Fransk Morgenstjerne" and "Francesca" are among the album's most entreating ballads - Hans Mydtskov's saxophone deserves special attention. The musical scope is evident in Harald Haugaard's ballad "Peder Gyes", which is followed by the rhythmically demanding, heavy-rock inspired "Carnera". The two live-tracks recorded at this year's Tønder Festival reveal the abundant enthusiasm and musicality of the group along with its distinct sense of how to fire up an audience. Particularly urgent and reckless is Harald Haugaard's live violin on "Den Lede". "Dantz" is mistakenly listed as a live-track on the cover, but it is clear from the vigorous applause that in fact "Kontradans" is the track recorded live. Here, the shrill saxophone and the far more traditional violin are enveloped by the aggressive rock guitar of Sune Haansbæk. Having thoroughly enjoyed Serras' debut album, I am looking forward to a live performance in Odense - hopefully in the near future."

"Fusion at the Eye of the Storm"

New Danish group Serras' innovative interpretation of 18th century Danish folk music packs plenty of power. The music is a successful fusion of the different backgrounds the musicians come from (jazz, rock and folk) and it is played with enthusiasm and energy.
The material comes from legendary fiddler Rasmus Storm who lived in South Funen in the mid-18th century, his contemporary Jens Christian Svabonius of the Faroe Islands and the flutist Count Otto von Raben of Lolland, but the old melodies have been rejuvenated quite substantially in Serras' bold arrangements. The versatile and brilliant violinist Harald Haugaard is most faithful to tradition playing lyrically in the melody lines, but even he takes a walk on the wild side occasionally (at times he sounds almost like Jean-Luc Ponty, the outstanding French fusion musician). In this he is assisted compellingly by the effervescent tenor and soprano saxophone of Hans Mydtskov, the shredding guitar of Sune Haansbæk, the pumping bass of Mads Riishede, and the hard-hitting drums of Sune Rahbek. Co-producer Morten Eriksen has even added beats, samples and loops, making Rasmus Storm sound quite contemporary.
Personally, I think he is turning in his grave - in delight that Serras has been able to revitalize his music, that is. Although most of the album was recorded in the studio, the two tracks from this year's Tønder Festival show Serras at their best - live."

"There were hardly any Danish bands at this year's festival. On Saturday afternoon, however, new Danish outfit Serras were deservedly set to open proceedings at Scene 2. 
And speaking of tradition and innovation, these young musicians really make traditional folk music take off. 
The material is mainly 18th century Danish folk music, boldly arranged with saxophones and aggressive guitars. Playing with lots of energy and enthusiasm, lead by bold violinist Harald Haugaard and featuring Hans Mydtskov's juicy sax, Serras are exciting newcomers to the Danish folk music scene."

"P.S. Another great concert took place 12 hours before that, when young Danish violinist Harald Haugaard introduced his new band, Serras. Featuring Haugaard and Hans Mydtskov (sax), Serras play refreshing and at times quite explosive interpretations of 18th century Danish folk music. Their outstanding concert was recorded for a CD that will certainly show the quality and growth of a new kind of Danish folk music."

For years the limitations of Danish folk music have annoyed me. The quality of it is fine. Rather, the problem lies in the unwillingness of Danish folk musicians to disregard the dictate of correctness - that folk music must be played by the book. The Rasmus Storm group went outside that framework. Baldrian did it by completely disregarding general opinion. Having said that, however, no further examples of such changes of style, which invigorate Danish music from time to time, spring to mind. Danish rock and jazz have had theirs. My love of Danish folk music notwithstanding, I often wish that we too would come to regard correctness as a thing of the past.
Which is why we have been waiting for a group like Serras to emerge. Daring and willing and, I hope, with enough time to continue experimenting. Serras was formed in 1998 with the purpose of playing music based on themes from 18th century Danish folk music, e.g. Svabonius and Storm. So the CD contains familiar themes but they come to life in Serras' radically revamped versions. There are probably many views on how "Piae Cantiones" or Reventlow's "Carnera" should be played, but if Danish folk music is to progress it is sometimes necessary to disregard such views. Serras does exactly that. Danish musicians who are daring and innovative in both arrangement and instrumentation - at last! I have heard "Fransk Morgenstjerne" played several times and always wondered at its pent-up energy. Serras are right on song - Harald Haugaard's violin and Sune Rahbek's drums in particular have rediscovered the erotic interplay that must have been its source of inspiration. Seriously! That "Fransk Morgenstjerne" has a string quartet and late-night jazz feel to it only makes it more delightful.
It is possible to improvise on 18th century music without being disrespectful. Quite unnecessarily, Serras state their respect for the music on the CD-cover. Without respect there can be no innovation.
Of the tracks on the CD some are live-recordings from Tønder Festival 1999 while others are studio-recordings. Common to most, though, are that they are first takes - and you can tell. The addition of samples, loops, etc. makes the music all the more exciting, especially when used as subtly and efficiently as Morten Eriksen has. The live/studio combo seldom works, but having listened to "Francesca" I needed the raw and dirty "Den Lede" which oozes power and attitude. Hans Mydtskov's saxophone is a revelation live.
I hope that Danish folk music has finally lost its virginity to Serras and their, to Danish listeners at least, slightly daring CD. And I sincerely hope the musicians will stay together for another couple of years to let the recklessness develop. Serras and Danish audiences deserve it. Serras are not content to play it safe - something which makes for a good start to the 21st century. It has been a long time coming but it has been worth the wait.

"Powering up the 17th Century"

Serras is one of the most important innovations in Danish folk music in recent years.

Offering three repeats from Harald Haugaard's more or less dismantled group DUG (Haugaard on violin, Mads Riishede on bass and Sune Rahbek on drums) plus an affinity in the choice of material, it is hardly surprising that the music of quintet Serras seems an amplification. But with the arrival of Hans Mydtskov's jazzy soprano and tenor saxophone and Sune Hånsbæk's rock guitar the music approaches raw and reckless folk-rock with inklings of both jazz and funk more than it used to. Thus, Mydtskov's soprano saxophone takes more after a 60'es jazz tradition than, for example, the tradition of Danish folk music.
The material is still mainly derived from the few Danish music books of the 18th century (Storm, Reventlow, Svabonius), but to say that it is treated with inhibiting tact or respect would be a gross exaggeration. On the contrary it makes for a surprising vitality (on the CD no more so than in the live-recordings from last year's Tønder Festival), a flair for combining stringent arrangement with complete abandon and an ensemble both exuberant and tight, as demonstrated by the rather unbridled second half of Friday night's concert.
With only one of the thirteen tracks on the CD running to more than five minutes the concentration known from the folk music the quintet takes as its fundamental point of departure is maintained. But, I have to say, tradition is dealt some severe blows and the combination of loving disrespect, historical consciousness and pure skill makes Serras one of the most important innovations in Danish folk music (or whatever you choose to call it) in recent years
The music was loud but the sound was good and I was even told that the venue supplied earplugs to those who found it too loud. I for one have never had such an offer before.

Earplugs or no earplugs, the way Serras played on Friday they remain to me one of the most exciting contenders in the current effort to renew Danish folk music.

"First formed in 1998. Serras is a five-piece band from Denmark who sport a folk/rock sound. The members come from a variety of bands (Sorten Muld, DUG, Blues Brothers Souvenir Show, etc.), and while most are not from a traditional music background they are all interested in working on contemporary versions of traditional Danish tunes. This, their first recording, offers instrumentals, almost all of which are traditional melodies taken from old notebooks af several tune collectors from the 18th century. Of course, the tunes have envolved significantly, with some fuzz guitar and heavy percussion to aid in the transition to the late 20th century. The instrumentation includes guitars, bass, saxophones, fiddles and drums, and the melodies are usually carried by the fiddle or saxophone. Some of the tracks stand out as particularly successful, such as “Fransk Morgenstjerne” (where the melody lines are not overpowered by elctricity), “Francesca” (introduced by the fiddle and then the saxophone and featuring a fine acoustic guitar solo), and “Carnera” (on which some rocked-up jigs collected in 1799 sparkle with new energy). The CD also includes two live tracks from the 1999 Tønder Festival, both of which illustrate the reason why Serras are developing a following as a fine live band. These are high-energy makeovers of some dusty Dansih tunes."

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