Amigo Musik in Sweden has finally reissued Månskratt by the infamous
Groupa

The absolutely essential recording by Sweden's great instrumental
ensemble and singer Lena Willemark. Recorded in 1989 on LP, in 1990 on
CD and then out of print just a few years later... now as of this
month, it's back!

The cast was a who's-who of Swedish musical genius: Mats Eden, Gustav
Hylen, Halbus Totte Mattsson, Bill McChesney, Jonas Simonsson and Lena
Willemark. Everything that came after this, from Harv to Hoven Droven,
Ranarim to Hedningarna... pretty much the entire Swedish folkmusik
output of the last decade... owes a debt to this recording, a
monstrous mix of deep roots, heavy rhythms, gorgeous melodies and
jazz-tinged attitude.

You can find it in good stores all over Europe, I am sure, and of
course, I have it in the cdRoots.com catalog. I don't think I
overstate my enthusiasm when I say you must own this recording if you
have any interest in Nordic roots music. It was a beauty then, and it
has stood the test of time.

and I want to use this as an excuse to perhaps revive this group a
little so it does not become simply my private newsgroup (-:

So how about we start hearing what the first or most influential 'new
Nordic' recording is, for YOU? I can say without a doubt that mine
were Filarfolket's "Smuggel" and "Manskratt."

cliff