Interesting albums from the folk and roots music history, by Marius Roeting.
A forgotten album. That’s what you can safely call ‘Von einem Tag zum anderen’ by North German multi-instrumentalist, singer and composer Manfred Jaspers. Jaspers, like so many in Germany, started playing Irish music and British songs in the 1960s. Two albums were released with the formation at the time, Beda Folk. Things changed and Jaspers founded the trio Moin with Jutta Schmeck and Mense Schwitters. The title of their -only- album from 1977 speaks volumes: ‘Lieder Tänze Und Balladen Aus Nord-Deutschland’. The focus was on performing songs sung in Platt- and Hochdeutsch, akin to OstFries and the dialects spoken in the north of our country. Already during the Moin period, Jaspers recorded his only solo album. ‘Von einem Tag zum anderen’ contains a mix of instrumental tunes, including an Irish one, and mainly Jaspers’ own work, all sung in Plattdeutsch. These songs have a somewhat melancholic character, but can be fierce and critical in terms of content, such as the protest song ‘Dies Land braucht keine Traüme mehr’ or the anti-war song ‘Tot mach mir’s leicht’-a translation of ‘Death come easy’ by English singer-songwriter Harvey Andrews. Jaspers is joined on the album by compatriots Andreas Grossmann (guitar), Hans-Hartwig Felsch (tin whistle, bodhran),
Gert-Matthias Wegner (tabla), Reiner Jordan (Flemish bagpipes) and Mense Schwitters and Sigrid Siemsen in choral singing. But mostly Manfred Jaspers himself provides the accompaniment on guitar, mandolin, violin, concertina and, of course, takes care of the singing. After that, things get quiet around Jaspers, although he is still active in the formation Aver Liekers, before setting out again solo or in duo with Matthias Kempendorf. And just when we decide to take ‘Von einem Tag zum anderen’ out of mothballs because it is far too beautiful to fall into oblivion, we get the news that Manfred Jaspers has just finished recording a second solo album. ‘Nach all den Jahren’ will be released in mid-2023 on the Stockfisch label. We already warm you up with its predecessor, the unsurpassed ‘Von einem Tag zum anderen’.
Beda folks – Beda Folk Live – Da Camera Song SM 95042
1. Step It Out Mary (trad) 3:39
Moin – Lieder, Tänze und Balladen aus Norddeutschland – Polydor 2371 792
2. Min Vaderland (Klaus Groth, trad) 4:04
Moin – live WDR 1979
3. De Vullmachts Öllste (Klaus Groth) 2:15
Manfred Jaspers – Von eimen tag zum anderen – Stockfisch Records SF 5030
4. Klönschnack 2:39
5. Verlaarn 3:44
6. Erinnering an O. 5:58
7. Wiegenlied den Kindern an der Oker 3:07
8. Wiegenlied für Ned 3:10
9. Der Mond 3:29
10. Looking across the Irish sea 3:58
11. Daniels Eintritt 1:42
12. Dies Land braucht keine Traüme mehr 4:41
13. Die Namenlosen 4:34
14. Tod mach mir’s leicht (Harvey Andrews) 3:52
15. Abschied 3:52
Manfred Jaspers, Kinnerchor Koornblömen – Hell Brennt En Licht, Plattdüütsche Wiehnachtsleeder – Stockfisch Records SF 8014
16. Disse Nacht 3:10
Alle tracks: tekst en muziek Manfred Jaspers, behalve
Tracks 1, 15: traditioneel
Track 2: trad, vertaling Klaus Groth
Tracks 3, 5: tekst Klaus Groth
Track 9: tekst en muziek Matthias Claudius
Track 14: Harvey Andrews, vertaling J. Schöntges
Track 16: Lianne Abeln
Produced by: