Shine was a fantastic funk and soul inspiration!

Shine was a fantastic funk and soul inspiration!

 

The band Shine from Sweden, was a fantastic funk and soul inspiration in the early 80´s. USA had Brothers Johnson with Louis Johnson on bass, and in Sweden we had Shine  with Kofi Bentsi-Enchill on bass. Very Sadly Kofi passed away in March 2002 (he was born 1958).

 

I remember when I and my friends where going to clubs in Stockholm to watch Shine performing. Their sound and groove was great!

The interplay between Kofi Bentsi-Enchill on bass and Vjeko Benzon on drums was something extra. My personel view is that they had that special chemistry, that for example Earth Wind & Fire had between Verdine White on bass and Fred White on drums. Shine was best in smaller clubs, where the atmosphere was tight and full of energy.

Both myself and Kofi was playing on the Swedish amplifier “EBS” and when I switched to a big SWR bass rig, Kofi asked me to borrow it (I was a bit nervous because Kofi played quite loud and had to change speaker elements now and then). We met several times and talked about music and we shared a lot of musical taste. I remember when we met at a studio in Stockholm (1985) and I brought with me a cassette with Maurice White´s brand new solo album from USA and played the funky song “Switch On The Radio”. Both of us laughed and screamed because it was so good! You can listen to that song at the end of this page. I also got an album with the great percussionist Bill Summers (Bill played with Herbie Hancock and HeadHunters) where Kofi Bentsi-Enchill made the music to one great tune. Kofi told me he was very happy for reaching a broader music market.

I did also jam with Vjeko Benzon (believe it was 1989) and I have a casset from that day (only bass and drums).

Shine was a great example how music by mixing people from different backgrounds and cultures, can evolve to deliver unexpected things. They was a fresh part of Stockholms music life in early 80´s. Everybody in the band had their unique contribution to the final result.

Anders Gustavsson on keyboards and alto sax, played very tasteful and he did also play with a band called “April”, there one very good friend of mine played the bass, Johan Englund. The musicians in “April” was Mats Bergström (g), Magnus Persson (dr) and later Pelle Alsing (dr), Johan Englund (b), Anders Gustavsson (keyb), Linus Bergström (perc), Johan Allenius (sax, flute) and the great singer Berit Andersson (voc). I have attached a tune with “April” playing the song “Exet” composed by Anders Gustavsson, from a small place called “Café Ricardo” located in “Old Town” in Stockholm (February 20, 1981).

Exet

 

One of the bands I played bass with during the early part of the 80´s, was “Aura”. During 1983, Berit Andersson was our lead singer. To give you a flavour how we sounded, just click on the arrow below this line. It´s the tune “Better Wach Your Step” composed by Peter Stedt and PJ Widestrand and lyrics by Helena Böhlin. Band members was; Torbjörn (Fjeldgård) Andersen (b), Lasse Lundbom (dr), Peter Stedt (g), Bengt Larsson (sax), Ulf Kronman (perc), Per-Johan (PJ) Widestrand (keyb) and Berit Andersson (voc). The tune was recorded on a 4-track porta studio, March 1983.

Better Watch Your Step

 

 

Below I have attached a great tune (sound clip) composed by Kofi Bentsi-Enchill “Give Love a Chance”, If you want to dance, just do it!

After that, there are several videos presenting 30 years old history of Swedish funk & soul.

Enjoy!

 

Shine – “Give Love a Chance” (1982)

This song is “not” included on their self-titled album (pictured). It´s from the b-side on a single.

 

Shine demo video (1981)

 

SHINE Live on Swedish TV Part 1 (3)

 

SHINE Live on Swedish TV Part 2 (3)

 

SHINE Live on Swedish TV Part 3 (3)

 

Shine is backing up the great singer- songwriter Brenda Russell  (performing “Jarreau”) in a Live TV show “Måndagsbörsen”, Stockholm Sweden (1983)

To read more about Brenda Russell click here

Musicians are; Frankie La Motte vc, Scotti Preston vc, Kofi Bentsi-Enchill bas, Amedeo Nicoletti gtr, Vjeko Benzon dr, Rene Martinez congas&perc, Anders Gustavsson keyb & altosax, Matte Fors tb, Uno Forsberg tp and Micke Renliden tp

 

 Kofi Bentsi-Enchill – “Spicy Fingers”

 

Shine in Kungsträdgården “Spicy Fingers”, Stockholm Sweden (1983)

Musicians are; Frankie La Motte vc, Scotti Preston vc, Kofi Bentsi-Enchill bas, Amedeo Nicoletti gtr, Vjeko Benzon dr, Rene Martinez congas & perc, Anders Gustavsson keyb & altosax, Matte Fors tb, Uno Forsberg tp and Micke Renliden tp

 

Shine live at Gröna Lund, Stockholm Sweden (1983) part 1(6)

Musicians are; Frankie La Motte vc, Scotti Preston vc, Elisabeth Kontomanou vc, Kofi Bentsi-Enchill bas, Amedeo Nicoletti gtr, Vjeko Benzon dr, Rene Martinez congas & perc, Anders Gustavsson keyb & altosax, Matte Fors tb, Uno Forsberg tp and Micke Renliden tp

 

Shine live at Gröna Lund, Stockholm Sweden (1983) part 2(6)

 

Shine live at Gröna Lund, Stockholm Sweden (1983) part 3(6)

 

Shine live at Gröna Lund, Stockholm Sweden (1983) part 4(6)

 

Shine live at Gröna Lund, Stockholm Sweden (1983) part 5(6)

 

Shine live at Gröna Lund, Stockholm Sweden (1983) part 6(6)

 

Here is the tune with Maurice White

Maurice White – “Switch On The Radio” (1985)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGM19Y31yU8