This Danish band originated in Roskilde towards the ending of 1968 ? playing and utilizing a somewhat bizarre and sarcastic approach to both music making as well as stage antics. Kristian POMMER was the instigator of the group while at the same time handling keys, vocals and the guitar. Circling around crazy thematics and a wonderful sense of theatrics, POMMER handed over to Denmark what ZAPPA did to the English speaking world: fun music revolving around blues rock, jazz and psychedelia. Denmark was a hotbed for both psychedelic music as well as jazz, yet it was down to a couple of groups such as BURNIN RED IVANHO and SECRET OYSTER all of which were headed by saxophonist extraordinaire Karsten VOGEL ? and dear ol DR. DOPO JAM. Nobody would take the sporadic shifts, avant guarde tendencies and cut up experimentations as far as this band though.
Helping out in the original cast were Poul ?Skak? SNITKER on flute and trumpet, Lars RASMUSSEN on electric guitar, Sten UGLEBJERG on percussion and something as wonderfully zany as a washtub and last but not least Sten OLSEN wielding an earthy and infinitely bouncy bass.
In September 1969 the band went through some changes as UGLEBJERG was replaced with not one but two drummers in Niels ?Vejmand? CHRISTENSEN and Bent CLAUSEN. Olsen?s spot was handed over to a guy named Jesper HINDØ who was just as versatile as his predecessor. This edition of the band continued to experiment and build on the overt zany and eclectic sound ? only to yet again in 1972 rearrange the line up, now with the add on of trombone and saxophone. Kristian POMMER additionally handed over the vocal bits to singer Lars BISGÅRD.
Second outing Fat Dogs and Danishmen changed the overall expression of the band with a clearer and more orchestrated expression while at the same time holding onto the unique fire and quirky charm of the debut. On the sophomore though, they were infusing congas and a violin trio as well as the highly talented Wandy TWOREK as soloist.
DR. DOPO JAM dissolved in the month of May 1974 with most of the members continuing on different musical paths.
Credits
Bass – Jesper Hindø
Composed By, Written-By, Arranged By – Kristian Pommer (tracks: A1 to B4)
Congas, Percussion – Ethan Weisgård*
Drums – Niels "Vejmand" Christensen*
Drums, Vibraphone, Percussion – Bent Clausen
Guitar – Lars Rasmussen
Lead Guitar – Jørgen Knudsen (2)
Lead Vocals – Lars Bisgård*
Piano, Rhythm Guitar, Vocals – Kristian Pommer
Producer – Dr. Dopo Jam
Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Piccolo Flute – Anders Gårdmand
Trumpet, Trombone, Effects [Misc.] – Skak Snitker*
http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=7701
