Sweden's Väsen went through a few iffy years in the late '90s when the addition of percussionist Andre Ferrari, and the artistic restlessness it hinted at, pushed the long-running trio (Olov Johansson on nyckelharpa, Roger Tallroth on guitar, Mikael Marin on viola) away from their utterly original reinterpretation of Scandinavian folk music and into an increasingly generic and tasteless world fusion sound. After a four-year hiatus from studio recording, they returned a few years ago, sans percussion, refreshed and freshly focused, and back to their old trio greatness. This track is from the superb "Live in Japan," released by Northside last October, featuring fluid, assured performances of some highlights from the band's large catalog of folk-music-inspired original compositions.
-- T.B.
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