photo by Johan Bergmark

Mariam Wallentin – voice
Sofia Jernberg – voice
Anna Lindal – violin
Leo Svensson – cello
Josefin Runsteen – violin
Katt Hernandez – viola
Per Texas Johansson – contrabass- and bass clarinets
Christer Bothén – contrabass- and bass clarinets
Isak Hedtjärn – Bb clarinet
Alexander Zethson – piano
Susana Santos Silva – trumpet
Mats Gustafsson – baritone sax
Johan Berthling – basses
Andreas Werliin  – drums
Mikael Werliin – sound

Late one night by the end of 2011 Mats Gustafsson, Johan Berthling and Andreas Werliin got the  crazy idea of expanding their trio Fire! into a 28-piece orchestra, inviting their Swedish friends from the worlds of jazz, improv and rock. In January 2012 “Exit!” was recorded in front of an over enthusiastic audience at the headquarters of Fylkingen, the legendary Stockholm avant garde music centre. The second album ‘Enter’ was released in 2014, ranking high on many ‘best of’ lists of rock- and jazz press alike. Both albums plus the LP ‘Second Exit’ are on Rune Grammofon. 

This first version of Fire! Orchestra consisted of Mariam Wallentin, Simon Ohlsson, Sofia Jernberg (voice), Niklas Barnö, Magnus Broo, Goran Kajfes, Emil Strandberg (trumpet), Mats Äleklint (trombone), Per-Åke Holmlander (tuba), Anna Högberg (alto sax), Mats Gustafsson, Elin Larsson (tenor sax), Jonas Kullhammar (bass sax), Martin Küchen (baritone sax), Fredrik Ljungkvist (baritone sax, clarinet), Christer Bothèn (bass clarinet, guimbri), Andreas Söderström, Sören Runolf, David Stackenäs (guitar), Sten Sandell (synthesizer, harmonium), Martin Hederos (organ, keyboards), Joachim Nordwall (electronics), Johan Berthling (el bass), Joel Grip, Dan Berglund (bass), Andreas Werliin, Johan Holmegard, Raymond Strid (drums).

In 2015 core members Gustafsson, Berthling and Werliin made a new composition for the Orchestra called RITUAL, creating a new sound and using a smaller, partly different and more international line-up: Mats Gustafsson (tenor sax), Johan Berthling (el. bass), Andreas Werliin (drums), Mariam Wallentin, Sofia Jernberg (voice), Anna Högberg, Mette Rasmussen (alto sax), Lotte Anker (alto and tenor sax), Jonas Kullhammar (bass sax), Goran Kajfes (cornet), Niklas Barnö (trumpet), Mats Äleklint  (trombone), Per-Åke Holmlander (tuba), Hild Sofie Tafjord (french horn), Andreas Berthling (electronics), Finn Loxbo, Julien Desprez (guitar), Martin Hederos (keyboard), Mads Forsby (drums).