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Our history started the autumn 1987 and is still going on...

Ralph & the big bang group started out in September 1987. The initiative came from the drummer Ralph Svensson who worked as a back up musician for different Swedish acts. Together with guitarist Lasse Persson and bass player Ronny Lindskog he started the first Big Bang Group. The first year they had 70 gigs, next year 140! The word about the trio was spread all over, after a while they toured except Sweden also Finland and Norway.

 Lasse and Ronny

Lasse Persson and Ronny Lindskog

1990 the band had their first brake. During seven weeks Ralph and his partners played in a famous club at the Swedish west coast together with great musicians like Ulf Wakenius, Jukka Tolonen, Lars Jansson, King Perkoff, Totta Näslund, Clas Yngström - and many more...! That summer lead to new tours, 1990 the band did more than 200 gigs! The first record was released: "Livet på landet" (translated from Robert Parkers "Gimme the country"). The flip side was a cover on "Mustang Sally" which became a hit in eastern Finland.

1993 our first cd was produced by Ove Johansson/Susanna Lindeborg, two most respected fusion artists from the well reputated group "Mwendo Dawa". The album contained blues, soul, rock and one fusion song. Later on that year the trio backed musicians like Georgie Fame and Rudy Smith.

1994 Lasse Persson left the group. He was replaced first by guitarist Mikael "Svirre" Svensson a short period, then two Americans joined the band: Ed Epstein(saxophones)and Greg Urich(keyboards). The style went a litlle bit toward soul & jazz.

 The American set up

 The American set up: Ed Epstein, Ralph, Greg Urich and Ronny

1996 Ralph took "time out" and made his own solo album which was released spring 1997. One of the songs, "Skåne" became a local hit in southern Sweden with a lot of airplay. Ronny Lindskog left the group and moved to Germany, later that spring a brand new trio with Berno Paulsson(guit)and Max Allgulander (bass) was started.

Berno Paulsson

Max Allgulander

Berno Paulsson

Max Allgulander

During 1998 a temporary band called "Big Bang All Stars" was formed consisiting of Ralph, Max, guitarist Jukka Tolonen and on Hammond B3 Pierre Swärd. The quartet toured Denmark, Sweden and Finland with several concerts, festivals and radio shows. In 1999 the trio record "What´s going on in my house" was released with great reviews in the international blues press. The band did get a lot of attention and gigs at Midtfyn Festival, Århus International Jazz Festival and Langeland Festival in Denmark, International Blues Festival and Schmölzer Blues Tage in Germany, Puistoblues and Rauma Blues in Finland, Take a Walk Festival, Sittard, The Netherlands, Blues Shack in Luxembourg and Mandal International Jazz Festival, Norway. Except all the gigs in Sweden, of course.

In the spring of 2003 the "original" guitarist Lasse Persson joined the band again together with Max on bass. Nice to be "home again". This year the trio made some exciting concerts: European Breeze Festival, Greece, Artishock Blues, Netherlands, International Bluesfestival Postfeld, Germany and of course concerts in Denmark and Sweden. We also had the pleasure to give a concert with Carlos Del Junco(Can), one of the finest harp players in the world.

 Lasse Persson

 Lasse returned to the trio in 2003 after nine years of absence

Amongst the concerts during 2004 the Flakasand Blues Festival was something outstanding. Situated at the riverside about 100 km south of the Polar Circle we played in the middle of the night - in bright sunlight. fantastic! We also did a few concerts with dear friends of the band: the marvellous harp player Pelle Lindström played together with us at Blues Festival in Eslöv, Pierre Swärd, the Hammond wizard was inviteted at the Malmö Festival for a concert with us.

2005: we´re composing and rehearsing for a new live album to be recorded around Christmas period along the live concerts. We also did a radio show and live gigs.

2006: exciting! Our first live album ever was released August 1. More about the live record here >> We also had some real nice weekends in Denmark, not at least in Jaunsgyde together with our friend Svith who celebrated 40 years and we were invited to play at his party. We also did a gig with Swedish/American guitarist Mickey Hallstrom that was videorecorded. Check it out here >>

2007: we celebrate 20 years since the band was formed in summer 1987. Our first gig was in the city of Lund in southern Sweden in September that year. So this fall we gonna have a real party along with some musician friends at Bluesfestival i Eslöv Sat Oct 27:th! More info at www.bluesfestival.2ya.com

2008: amongst many nice gigs we did a concert with a huge choire September 12:th...gospel, soul and blues. It was really fun! November 1:st we performed with the outstanding harp player Marc Breitfelder from Germany at Blues Festival in Eslöv, Sweden. Wow!

2009: as a result of the exciting experience of playing with Mr Breitfelder (see above) we did gigs together with him during the year. And we will continue during 2010! Please feel free to contact us!

 The trio and Marc

Lasse, Ralph. Max and Marc

(pics by Stefan Lang, Eje Berndtsson and hazzesfoto.se)