As one of the most prominent guitarists and session musicians in Sweden, Janne Schaffer has played with almost everyone at home, and quite a few important bands abroad.
If he ever needs to send in his CV, it will contain names like ABBA, Bob Marley, and Jeff Porcaro. He also successfully pursued a career as a solo artist in the ’70s, when he topped the charts and won some recognition abroad, but has had less success since the ’80s. For a younger generation in Sweden, Schaffer is probably most well-known for being the guitar-playing zebra in Electric Banana Band, a platinum-selling band from a children’s television show.
Schaffer was born in Stockholm just after the war. During the ’60s, he was a member of a number of pop bands, including Noisemen, Chicks, and Ted and the Caracas. But Schaffer was already a skilled guitarist and after being employed by a dance orchestra, he quit school. A dance orchestra meant endless touring and the young Schaffer had soon had enough and returned to school and Stockholm, where he formed the Sleepstones. A few of their songs charted, and as the real break didn’t come, Schaffer left for Grapes of Wrath. It was now around 1970, his career as a session musician began, and very soon his reputation earned him the top jobs in Sweden.
During the ’70s, Schaffer played with famous artists like Ted Gärdestad, Cornelis Wresvijk, and Barbro Hörberg, as well as with international stars like Bob Marley, ABBA, and Johnny Nash.In 1973, Schaffer released his self-titled solo debut. The album topped the charts, and playing keyboards on it was Björn J:son Lindh, whom Schaffer would work with a lot during most of the ’70s and ’80s. The second album, Janne Schaffer’s Andra, also did well, in fact good enough for his third album, Katharsis, to be released to good reviews worldwide. This album was more fusion, where the first two had been instrumental guitar rock. In the late ’70s, Schaffer played at a number of big jazz festivals. Tracks from one of these concerts are included on Montreux Summit, Vol. 1 and Montreux Summit, Vol. 2.Earmeal from 1979 was recorded together with the brothers and father Porcaro from Toto, but the title was actually the name of a band Schaffer had formed a few years ago in Sweden, together with Lindh.
A few years prior he had also written the music for a very popular children’s show on Swedish television: Trazan och Banarne. When new episodes were to be filmed, the Electric Banana Band was created, including a good part of the Swedish studio elite led by Schaffer. The show was immensely popular.
Schaffer formed his own record company, Earmeal, in 1984, on which his following solo albums were released. Through the ’80s and ’90s, he still participated on a great number of albums. Apart from this, Schaffer wrote film scores and worked together with classical composers. In 1997, he intended to reunite the Electric Banana Band. The following tour was a big success, and a re-recording of old songs (and some new) sold platinum.
Read more about Janne Schaffer at his official website.
Selected Discography
Katharis/Earmeal/Presens
BGO Records 2017
Disc One: Bromma Struttin’, Stocking Suite, The Blue Gate, Dimbaa Jullow, Ramsa, Atlanta Inn 2419, The Red Gate, Wintergreen, Hot Days And Summer Nights, Happy Feet, To A Beautiful Painter & Bromma Express. Disc Two: The Shrimp, Shrimp A La Carte, It’s Never Too Late, Oriental Sign, Frederick’s Place, Mr Allansson Pickles, The Tongue, Neonmoisture, March From Refresher Course, Fata Morgana, High Pitch, Evening At Alex, Open Eyes & Diesire.
Musicians on the Katharis/Earmeal/Presens album: Janne Schaffer, Jeff Porcaro, Mike Porcaro, Steve Porcaro, Björn J:son Lindh, Peter Robinson, Joe Porcaro, Stefan Brolund, Malando Gassama and others.
Music Story
Earmeal Productions 2010
Box Set - The Albums: Halkans Affär (1973), Andra LP (1974), Katharsis (1975), Earmeal (1978), Presens (1980), Blå Passager Och Röda Vågor (1982), Traffic (1985), Electric Graffitti (1988), Ögonblick (1992), Av Ren Lust (1995), På Andra Sidan Månen (2000), Bonusplatta (2010), Kärhuset (1974) DVD, Hörselmat I Montreux (1980) DVD & Julstämning (2009) DVD.
Musicians on the Music Story album: Janne Schaffer and others.
Av Ren Lust
Earmeal Productions 1995
Tracks: Vid Sonforsens Källa, Let Those Walls Fall Down, Norrland, Het Sand, Blackan Boogie Blues, Amoretti, Regn, Fingermountain Blues, Jag Kan Läsa Dina Tankar, Visa Till Gåsemora, Blå Vindar Om Natten.
Musicians on the Av Ren Lust album: Janne Schaffer, Björn J:son Lindh, Stefan Blomquist, Stefan Gunnarsson, Per Lindvall, Johan Granström, Svante Henryson, Per Hedtjärn, Joachim Gustafsson, Henrik Janson, Ulf Janson, Magnus Rongedal, Henrik Rongedal, Niklas Medin, Per ”Ruskträsk” Johansson, Olle Holmquist, Leif Lindvall & Magnus Johansson.
Katharsis & Earmeal 1976 - 1979
Earmeal Records 1989
Tracks: Bromma Struttin, Den Blå Porten, Dimbaa Julllow, Ramsa, Atlanta Inn 2419, Den Röda Porten, Skogssjornan, Hot Days And Summernights, Happy Feet, To A Beautiful Painter, Bromma Express, The Shrimp, Shrimp A La Carte, It's Never Too Late & Fredric's Place.
Musicians on the Katharsis & Earmeal 1976 - 1979 album: Janne Schaffer, Jeff Porcaro, Mike Porcaro, Steve Porcaro, Björn J:son Lindh, Peter Robinson, Joe Porcaro, Stefan Brolund & Malando Gassama.
Earmeal
CBS Records 1978
Tracks: Hot Days And Summer Nights, Happy Feet, To A Beautiful Painter, Bromma Express, The Shrimp, Shrimp A La Carte, It's Never Too Late, Oriental Sign & Frederic's Place.
Musicians on the Earmeal album: Janne Schaffer, Jeff Porcaro, Mike Porcaro, Steve Porcaro, Björn J:son Lindh, Peter Robinson, Joe Porcaro, Stefan Brolund & Malando Gassama.
Earmeal
CBS Records 1978
Tracks: Hot Days And Summer Nights, Happy Feet, To A Beautiful Painter, Bromma Express, The Shrimp, Shrimp A La Carte, It's Never Too Late, Oriental Sign & Frederic's Place.
Musicians on the Earmeal album: Janne Schaffer, Jeff Porcaro, Mike Porcaro, Steve Porcaro, Björn J:son Lindh, Peter Robinson, Joe Porcaro, Stefan Brolund & Malando Gassama.