Bitter Funeral Beer

Bitter Funeral Beer is an album by the Bengt Berger Bitter Funeral Beer Band with Don Cherry recorded in January 1981 and released on ECM the following year.

Bitter Funeral Beer
Studio album by the Bengt Berger Bitter Funeral Beer Band with Don Cherry
Released	1982
Recorded	January 1981
Studio	Decibel Studios Stockholm, Sweden
Genre	Jazz
Length	43:02
Label	ECM 1179
Producer	Manfred Eicher
Bengt Berger chronology
Spelar (1977) Bitter Funeral Beer (1982) Praise Drumming (1987)

Reception

The AllMusic review by Brian Olewnick awarded the album 4½ stars stating "the combination of stunningly gorgeous repeating themes and inspired improvising make one wish the music would never stop. This recording, though little known, is one of the very finest items ever released by ECM. While wonderful in and of itself, it might also serve as a fine introduction to West African music, albeit via a circuitous route through Stockholm."

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic

Track listing

All traditional compositions arranged by Bengt Berger

1. "Bitter Funeral Beer" – 9:18
2. "Blekete" – 3:05
3. "Chetu" – 3:20
4. "Tongsi" – 5:03
5. "Darafo/Funeral Dance (Dar Kpee)" – 22:16

Personnel

Bengt Berger Bitter Funeral Beer Band

• Bengt Berger – xylophone (ko-gyil – Lo Birifor funeral xylophone)
• Don Cherry – pocket trumpet
• Tord Bengtsson – violin, electric guitar
• Jörgen Adolfsson – violin, sopranino saxophone, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone
• Tommy Adolfsson – trumpet
• Christer Bothen – bass clarinet, tenor saxophone
• Thomas Mera Gartz – violin, tenor saxophone, drums
• Matthias Hellden – cello
• Ulf Wallander – soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone;
• Kjell Westling – sopranino saxophone, bass clarinet
• Sigge Krantz – electric guitar, bass
• Bosse Skoglund – drums
• Anita Livstrand – voice, bells, axatse (rattle)