Konvoj Records

By Ken Waxman

Celebrating its 10^th anniversary this year, Konvoj Records is literally a textbook definition of a grassroots label. Located in Malmö, Sweden, a city of about 350,000 people connected by the almost eight kilometre dual railway and motorway Öresund Bridge to the approximately two million people who live in Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital, it’s focus is still resolutely local. “The Malmö scene, with its strong and authentic and raw sound is a major inspiration for our existence,” explains local saxophonist Ola Paulson, who heads up the label’s operations and is featured on many of its releases.

So far the label, whose name translates to Convoy in English,  has put out 21 albums, including one limited edition five-CD boxed set, with most pressed in editions of around 200 to 500. “I started the label as a way to manage and take control of a growing number of recordings and to form a base for the music scene in and around Malmö,” he adds. “The improv scene is very community based and small independent ” labels and collectives have a significant role as both organizers, driving forces and documenters for the future.” Begun with a government funding and a lot of unpaid work from Paulson and a collective of 20-odd creative people, some costs are now recoupled through sales. Computer processor Jakob Riis, Konvoj’s who shares artistic director duties with Paulson and plays on some releases, helps with recording, mixing and mastering. Other help comes from artists and graphic designers. “None of us are employed by the label,” states Paulson. “Its mainly about a non-profit commitment to music and art. If there’s money in a project, we get paid. If there’s not, we’ll probably do it anyway.”

Virtuous Mondays, 2020’s  five-CD box plus 2016’s Mindfulness stand out in the Konvoj catalogue since both feature local guitarists Anders Lindsjö, Adam Persson & Mattias Nihlén who work as Halster with the box featuring the trio improvising with various  local or international guests. “Halster is Malmö, asserts Paulson. “Their sound and weekly evenings in the Allmogen studio are an underground institution in the city”. Welcoming since the trio was formed more than a decade ago participation in what the band calls “open rehearsals” is spread by word of mouth. Yet many of the improv players from elsewhere who have concerts  in the city end up playing with them as well.

One of the musicians who is on the box set and is featured on other Konvoj sessions is veteran saxophonist Martin Küchen, who live in Lund, about 20 kilometers north of Malmö. The saxophonist who has recorded for numerous labels over the years also affiliated with Konvoj because “I know Ola well and it’s a local label. These days I think it’s important to nuture both musical friendships and the local scene.” His “smooth experience” working alongside mostly locals, has made him eager to record for it again.

Küchen is another non resident whose presence expands Paulson’s stated aim to use Konvoj to document local talent. Another is Stockholm-based pianist Sten Sandell. Besides appearing on the Konvoj Ensemble discs, in 2015 The March, a record of one of the 25^th anniversary concerts by Gush, the group he’s a member of with saxophonist Mats Gustafsson and , drummer Raymond Strid came out on Konvoj. “We’re friends and colleagues with Mats, Raymond and Sten and I arranged the Malmö anniversary concert,” recalls Paulsson. “Since it took place at a venue with an in-house studio we decided on the spot to record the concert. The music sounded so brilliant, we all wanted to make something more out of it. I had the recording in my hand and also happened to have a label.”.

“Ola Paulsson and I have had collaborations for a long time when the Evan Parker/Sten Sandell duo participated in tours and record releases,” notes Sandell. “So when bassist Johannes Nästesjö, who lives in Malmö, and I started our duo a couple of years ago it was natural to start a collaboration with Ola’s record company.” The result was the recent DUO akt I​-​VII, Nästesjö’s fourth Konvoj release including a solo set and two with Catlan pianist Agustí Fernández. Adds Sandell, who has recoded for many imprints over the years. “I hope this is just the beginning of long-term collaboration with Ola and Johannes.”

Other discs that could be termed all-star were almost as easy to organize as Gush’s such as sessions with the ad hoc Konvoj Ensemble, a septet, which besides Paulson and Sandell featured UK saxophonist Evan Parker. The saxophonist has been involved with free music for decades, yet having his participation was relatively easy. “The global improv community is actually quite small,” remarks Paulson. “So If you keep at it, perform regularly at some form of higher artistic level you will eventually have connections all the way to the pioneers of the genre. This creates a situation where we all strive to play with each other across generational boundaries and experience levels. For example with Evan. Jakob and I had an idea for a graphic score and I could hear the sound of mighty Evan in it. I just sent an email to him and asked. He got curious about the project and came to Sweden to play. A unique thing about this genre is that most performers keep curiosity alive. It’s a driving force.”

Cooperation is one thing, but extra-musical situations can also affect production. Konvoj’s most recent discs have been mostly solos or duos. Due to the extended lockdowns during the Covid pandemic it was impossible to finance larger ensembles. However forced isolation allowed many players to experiment with singular programs And these sessions resulted.

Economics plays a large part in the label’s release schedule and pressing needs. Some years there isn’t enough revenue to produce even one disc; in others the Konvoj crew is flush enough for several releases. For the same reason CDs are the preferred format because says Paulson they provide the best combination of sound quality and flexibility. There have been some LPs, but they want to stay about from what he terms ridiculous production costs. Although a few of the labels session are available on other streaming services, preference is for Bandcamp, with the entire catalogue available there. Sales, he adds are about even between physical products and download streaming. Despite 2023 being the label’s anniversary no dedicated releases are planned, except perhaps for a final Konvoj Ensemble CD.

In terms of catalogue, the plan is to only repress disc in response to great demand, which so far has been for  Return serene Skoarkki, a Paulson solo disc and Konvoj Ensemble’s Colors of. “We don’t want large archives to administer,” the saxophonist explains. “We give a large part of the discs to libraries and the like, to preserve the music for the future. The rest we sell out. End of story.” That sentence could be a credo for most boutique-grassroots labels. As Paulson insists: “It’s a special and rare thing to own a Konvoj record. It’s definitely not a mass product.”