Mezzoforte (band)

Last updated
Mezzoforte at the 2017 Kongsberg Jazzfestival. Closest to the camera is Fridrik Karlsson. Mezzoforte Kongsberg Jazzfestival 2017 (230400).jpg
Mezzoforte at the 2017 Kongsberg Jazzfestival. Closest to the camera is Friðrik Karlsson.

Mezzoforte is an instrumental jazz-funk fusion band from Iceland, formed in 1977. [1]

Contents

They signed a record deal with Icelandic label Steinar. [1] Their biggest hit single was "Garden Party" (1983), taken from their fourth album (second international release) Surprise Surprise . [1] It peaked at number 17 in the UK Singles Chart. The solo that takes place two minutes into "Garden Party", was created and played on the flugelhorn by English trumpeter, Stephen Dawson. [2] "Garden Party" was later covered by Herb Alpert, at a slower speed than the original, apparently as he had learned the track from the single played at the wrong speed. [1] Another single, "Rockall" spent one week at number 75 in the same listing in June that year, and was used as a signature tune by several European radio chart shows. [1] [2]

The band was named after the traditional musical term mezzo forte , an instruction to play literally "moderately loud".

Band members

Original line-up from 1977:

Other members, present and past:

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
ICE
[3]
AUS
[4]
GER
[5]
NL
[6]
NOR
[7]
SWE
[8]
SWI
[9]
UK
[10]
Mezzoforte 10
Í Hakanum
  • Released: November 1980
  • Label: Steinar
  • Formats: LP, MC
  • Released outside of Iceland as Mezzoforte
Þvílíkt Og Annað Eins
  • Released: November 1981
  • Label: Steinar
  • Formats: LP
4
  • Released: October 1982
  • Label: Steinar
  • Formats: LP, MC
  • Released outside of Iceland as Surprise Surprise
146331028
Yfirsýn
  • Released: December 1983
  • Label: Steinar
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC
  • Released outside of Iceland as Observations
73964623
Rising
  • Released: November 1984
  • Label: Steinar
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC
10
No Limits
  • Released: November 1986
  • Label: Steinar
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC
912
Playing for Time
  • Released: April 1989
  • Label: RCA
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC
85
Daybreak
  • Released: November 1993
  • Label: Spor
  • Formats: CD, MC
Monkey Fields
  • Released: July 1996
  • Label: Spor
  • Formats: CD, MC
7
Forward Motion
  • Released: November 2004
  • Label: BHM Productions
  • Formats: CD
Volcanic
  • Released: 18 October 2010
  • Label: Koolmusik, BHM Productions
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Islands
  • Released: 6 July 2012
  • Label: BHM Productions
  • Formats: CD, digital download
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Live albums

TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
ICE
[3]
Sprellifandi
  • Released: September 1983
  • Label: Steinar
  • Formats: LP, MC
  • Live at the Dominion on 30 June 1983
1
Live in Reykjavik
  • Released: November 2008
  • Label: BHM Productions
  • Formats: 2xCD
Live from London
  • Released: 2 August 2016
  • Label: The Store for Music
  • Formats: digital download
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Compilation albums

TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
ICE
[3]
UK
[10]
Catching up with Mezzoforte – Early Recordings
  • Released: May 1983
  • Label: Steinar
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC
95
The Saga So Far
  • Released: October 1985
  • Label: Steinar
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC
4
Best Collection
  • Released: 1 June 1987
  • Label: Polydor
  • Formats: CD
  • Japan-only release
Fortissimos
  • Released: September 1991
  • Label: RCA/BMG
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC
7
Garden Party Time – The Best of Mezzoforte
The Very Best of Mezzoforte
  • Released: 24 October 2001
  • Label: Skífan
  • Formats: CD, MC
Anniversary Edition
  • Released: April 2007
  • Label: BHM Productions
  • Formats: 2xCD
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Video albums

TitleAlbum details
High Voltage
Live in Reykjavik
  • Released: November 2008
  • Label: BHM Productions
  • Formats: DVD
Live from London – Live from the Marquee Club
  • Released: May 2013
  • Label: The Store for Music
  • Formats: DVD

Singles

TitleYearPeak chart positions
ICE
[12]
AUS
[4]
BE (FL)
[13]
GER
[5]
IRE
[14]
NL
[15]
UK
[16]
"Dreamland"/"Shooting Star"1982
"Garden Party"1983832103623517
"Rockall"314375
"Midnight Express" (live)
"Midnight Sun"1984102 [17]
"Spring Fever"100
"Take Off
"Taking Off" (vocal mix)1985
"Garden Party" (sunshine mix)
"This Is the Night" (featuring Noel McCalla)
"Nothing Lasts Forever" (featuring Noel McCalla)1986
"No Limit"1987
"Expressway"1989
"High Season"
"Better Love"1991
"After Hours"1994
"Step Right Back"1996
"Monkey Fields"
"Garden Party" (2002 remix)2002
"Hún veit hvað ég vil" (with Auður)2020
"Broke n Hip"2021
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Related Research Articles

DV is an online newspaper in Iceland published by Torg ehf. It came into existence as a daily newspaper in 1981 when two formerly independent newspapers, Vísir and Dagblaðið, merged.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Björgólfur Hideaki Takefusa</span> Icelandic footballer

Björgólfur Hideaki Takefusa is an Icelandic former professional footballer who played as a forward. He formerly represented the Iceland national team, making three appearances in 2003 and 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hermann Gunnarsson</span>

Hermann Gunnarsson commonly referred to by his nickname, Hemmi Gunn, was an Icelandic television and radio personality, performer and former football and handball player at an international level. Hermann is known as one of Iceland's greats both in football and handball. He also played basketball at club level, but never played a national game in that sport.

Rás 1 is an Icelandic radio station belonging to and operated by Ríkisútvarpið (RÚV), Iceland's national public service broadcaster. Broadcast throughout Iceland on FM, via satellite, DVB and also 189 kHz longwave, it is currently among the country's most listened-to radio stations.

The discography of Eternal, a British female R&B and pop group, consists of four studio albums, five compilation albums, one remix album, two video albums and twenty-two singles on EMI Records. Eternal has sold over 10 million albums, with Always & Forever (15), Power of a Woman (25) and Before the Rain (35) ranked in the UK Official Charts Company's Top 40 biggest girl band studio albums of the last 25 years.

<i>Shaky</i> (album) 1981 studio album by Shakin Stevens

Shaky is an album released by Shakin' Stevens in 1981. Released at the peak of his popularity, Shaky was the first and, to date, only UK number 1 album for Shakin' Stevens. The album features three top ten singles, most notably Green Door, which enjoyed a month at number one during the summer of 1981. Despite Shaky's reputation as a rock and roll cover artist, the album contained five of his own compositions as well as the original song "You Drive Me Crazy", which spent four weeks at number two in the UK singles chart in the spring of 1981. A cover of "It's Raining", released in the autumn, also managed to reach the top ten in the UK.

Iceland was present at the Eurovision Song Contest 1986, held in Bergen, Norway. It was the first time Iceland was represented in the contest. While the country had satellite television contact from other nations since 1981, Iceland was not able to connect to other European nations by satellite before the end of 1985, meaning that 1986 was the first year Iceland could send a delegation to the Eurovision Song Contest.

<i>In the Heat of the Night</i> (Imagination album) 1982 studio album by Imagination

In the Heat of the Night is the second album by British soul/dance group Imagination, produced by Steve Jolley and Tony Swain and released in 1982.

The Laundromat Cafe is the name borne by a chain of four cafés in Copenhagen, Denmark and Reykjavík, Iceland. The first one opened in Elmegade 15, Nørrebro Copenhagen in 2004 and the second one in Århusgade 38, Østerbro Copenhagen two years later. In 2010 two more cafés were opened, at Austurstræti 9 in Reykjavík, Iceland, and at Gammel Kongevej 96 Frederiksberg, Denmark. As the name suggests, laundromats are co-located in the cafés.

"(Ain't That) a Lot of Love" is a 1966 song written by Homer Banks and Willia Dean Parker, and first released by Banks on Minit Records, titled "A Lot of Love".

<i>Surprise Surprise</i> (album) 1982 studio album by Mezzoforte

Surprise Surprise is the 1982 studio album of Mezzoforte on Steinar. Their fourth album – originally released in Iceland as 4 with a different cover – made the band famous worldwide when, after the international release, the single "Garden Party" hit the charts.

<i>Þvílíkt Og Annað Eins</i> 1981 studio album by Mezzoforte

Þvílíkt Og Annað Eins is the 1981 studio album of Mezzoforte on Steinar. It is their third album, released only in Iceland only on LP. Along with their first record, Mezzoforte (1979), these two weren't remastered in 1996 with the rest of their early discography, or ever released internationally or on CD, however 7 of the 9 tracks from Þvílíkt Og Annað Eins were released internationally in 1983 on the compilation album Catching Up with Mezzoforte which also included 7 songs from their second album, Í Hakanum/Octopus and peaked at #95 on the UK Album Chart. Even though the third album’s title track was translated as Surprise, the album is sometimes referred to in English as Dreamland, which is the only song from the album released on a single, thus it can’t be confused with their fourth album, titled Surprise Surprise which was an international success, peaking at #23 on the UK Album Chart. The song Dreamland was released in 1982 on a double A-side single with second album’s Shooting Star.

<i>Í Hakanum/Octopus</i> 1980 studio album by Mezzoforte

Í Hakanum is a 1980 studio album by Mezzoforte, released on Steinar and originally released in Iceland only. The September 1981 UK release, titled Mezzoforte, had a different cover artwork, but since their first album, released only in Iceland, too was called Mezzoforte, Í Hakanum was usually referred to as Octopus, which later became the title of the 1996 CD re-release.

<i>Mezzoforte</i> (album) 1979 studio album by Mezzoforte

Mezzoforte is the debut album of Mezzoforte on Steinar, released only in Iceland in 1979. It consists of eight instrumental songs. Along with their third record, Þvílíkt Og Annað Eins (1981), these two weren't remastered in 1996 with the rest of their early discography, or ever released internationally or on CD.

Rondey Robinson is an American former professional basketball player. He played six seasons in the Icelandic Úrvalsdeild with Njarðvík, winning the national championship three times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leo Sayer discography</span>

This article is the discography of English-Australian singer Leo Sayer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Sylvian discography</span> Discography

This is the discography for British musician/singer-songwriter David Sylvian as a solo artist. For information about the discography of Japan, see Japan discography.

Spargo are a Dutch band, formed in 1975, known for their hits "You and Me", "Head Up to the Sky", "One Night Affair", "Just For You" and "Hip Hap Hop" in the 1980s.

This is the discography of British rockabilly band Matchbox.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Larkin, Colin (1997) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music, Virgin Books, ISBN   0-7535-0159-7, p. 321
  2. 1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 362. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  3. 1 2 3 Peak positions for Mezzoforte's albums in Iceland:
  4. 1 2 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 199. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  5. 1 2 "Suche - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  6. "Dutch Charts - dutchcharts.nl". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  7. "norwegiancharts.com - Norwegian charts portal". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  8. "swedishcharts.com - Swedish Charts Portal". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  9. "Die Offizielle Schweizer Hitparade - hitparade.ch". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  10. 1 2 "MEZZOFORTE | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  11. "Morgunblaðið - 254. tölublað (07.11.1999) - Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  12. "Dagblaðið Vísir - DV - 59. tölublað (11.03.1983)". timarit.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2022-05-20.
  13. "ultratop.be - ULTRATOP BELGIAN CHARTS". www.ultratop.be. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  14. "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 2022-04-19.
  15. "Dutch Charts - dutchcharts.nl". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  16. "TOM ROBINSON | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
  17. "UK Singles Charts: 1984 (including chart panel sales)". UKMIX Forums. Retrieved 2022-05-23.