East – Pathfinder East – Pathfinder / Opus 3 Records

Following the phenomenal success of “Autumn Shuffle,” the debut album by Swedish guitarist Peder Af Ugglas, Opus 3 Records now presents the debut album of another local hero who can hold his own on

the international stage: guitarist Bert “East” Östlund!

Östlund was thirteen years old when he borrowed a nylon-string guitar from his neighbor in 1960. From that moment on, this instrument became an inseparable friend and played an increasingly important role

in his life. In 1964, he was supposed to go on a six-month tour of Finland with a well-known pop group. However, there was a problem: Östlund didn't own an electric guitar or an amplifier! The band manager

then got him a Fender Stratocaster and an amp – the starting signal for a unique musical career!

He began composing in the 1970s and went on to arrange music for countless artists. In the 1980s, Östlund formed the band “7:e Himlen” (7th Heaven), with which he toured for years and released numerous albums.

He also released two solo albums during this period under the name “Ensamma Vargen” (Lonely Wolf). In 1990, Östlund opened his own recording studio, where he works as a musician, producer, and sound engineer.

Under his stage name “East,” he released the CD “Let The Guitar Flow” (Riverside Records) in 2003—an instrumental album featuring exclusively his own compositions, which caused a sensation, especially in England. 

“Pathfinder” showcases “East” as a guitarist and pianist as well as a composer and arranger. All 14 instrumentals, some of which have the potential to be summer hits, were penned by him and demonstrate his broad musical

spectrum. Telecaster and Stratocaster sounds dominate, but a whole busload of other acoustic and electric guitars are also used. A feast for guitar fetishists! Musically, it could hardly be more varied: a touch of Detroit, Nashville

or Newcastle? Rio or Paris? Östlund masters a wide variety of styles, serves a wide range of genres and has a penchant for pop, jazz and Latin from the late 50s and early 60s! And it all sounds contemporary, fresh, mature, relaxed,

effortless, and cheerful. The man is in a class of his own! 

“The production... is so masterfully and perfectly balanced that even Nashville pros couldn't do better. Pathfinder is a real treat for sound connoisseurs, with such sublime, clear sound quality that it's perfect for both intense immersion

and as acoustic wallpaper. Which, just to remind you, is a real achievement in this genre.” (Cai Brockmann, in image hifi 71, issue 5/2006)

The LP (180-gram vinyl, 33 RPM), which boasts outstanding sound quality, was pressed by Optimal Media. Andreas “Lupo” Lubich (Calyx Mastering, Berlin) is responsible for the lacquer disc cutting.

MUSICIANS

Bert "East" Östlund: guitars, piano, Fender Rhodes.
Janne Robertson: chimes, congas, shaker, tambourine
Peter Forss: double bass
Hux Flux Nettermalm: drums 

Opus 3 is an independent Swedish music label dedicated to recording timeless acoustic music such as jazz, blues, folk and classical. Founded in late 1976 by sound engineer Jan-Eric Persson, the label has made it its mission to reproduce

voices and instruments as naturally as possible. To achieve this, Opus 3 selects recording environments with good natural. The label's recording techniques were developed specifically for acoustic music and were originally based on the use

of tube gear and “Blumlein” miking. In 2001, Opus 3 switched to digital eight-track technology and later to 16 channels – in the brand-new mixing and mastering studio designed and set up by Sweden's leading acoustic engineer Lennart Nilsson

to mark the label's 30th anniversary. Apart from a few digital intermediate steps all processing is still done exclusively analog.

We recommend the use of "L'Art du Son" LP cleaner to wet wash your vinyl. Even new records of high quality production will benefit from this.

Title

Side A
1. Pathfinder
2. Paddle Steamer
3. Café Oasis
4. Calm Beach
5. Le Petit Pain
6. Reflections Of The Sun
7. The Milky Way

Side B
1. Cliffhanger
2. Spånga Station
3. Poco Loco
4. Au Revoir
5. Sweet Talkin'
6. Guitar Stumble
7. Snow Crystals