Saturday, June 10, 2017

Rolf Berntzen og Johannes Kleppevik

Artist: Rolf Berntzen og Johannes Kleppevik
LP: 7" single
Song: "Torgsangen"
[ listen ]

I hadn't added Rocade Musikk to my list of Bergen record stores, since I'd read that they specialize in country and bluegrass music, and I was looking primarily for Norwegian pop. It was my sister who spotted the store and pointed it out to me as we were ambling down a quaint cobblestone street a few blocks from our hotel. 

When I returned to Rocade to browse the next day, the friendly proprietor asked what kind of music I liked. I was surrounded by bins of country music and it was country that was playing on the store's music system too. I didn't dare say "Boney M" or "Devo" or anything like that. I began by feebly whimpering, "ABBA," then quickly followed up with, "But I like old country music too...like Hank Snow!"...selecting an old country favorite at random.

Little did I know that I had hit the jackpot. The gentleman excitedly pointed out the Hank Snow posters that adorned every wall and then played me a track by a Norwegian country singer (I think it was Bjøro Håland) who had gone to Nashville and recorded in the style of Hank Snow! (Novelty factor = 8; Musical factor = 4.) 

Though I felt kinda bad that I didn't buy any of his country records, I did find some singles I wanted. The amenable clerk repeatedly tried pushing this Rolf Berntzen and Johannes Kleppevik single on me as a souvenir; he had known both men when they were living and the song was recorded in honor of the famous Bergen Fish Market. There were about 35 copies available. I could have bought one for everybody I know! The single ultimately wasn't among my final selections, but he threw in a copy for me anyways for free.

[ Johannes Kleppevik: October 10, 1947 — February 3, 2001 ] 
[ Rolf Berntzen: June 4, 1918 — September 22, 2005 ] 

[ Rocade Musikk — Bergen, Norway ]

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