Photo: Tore Sætre · CC BY-SA 4.0 · credits
Tier 3 · vertical & regional
Mezzoforte
Group · Iceland · Reykjavík · formed 1977
Icelandic instrumental jazz-funk fusion band
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Also known as メゾフォルテ
Timeline
26 events▣ Album 13+ Member joins 8− Member leaves 3◆ Formed 1★ Debut release 1
1970s
· Member joins
Eythór Gunnarsson joins the band
keyboard,original
source: musicbrainz
· Member joins
Friðrik Karlsson joins the band
guitar,original
source: musicbrainz
· Member joins
Gunnlaugur „Gulli“ Briem joins the band
membranophone,original
source: musicbrainz
· Member joins
Jóhann Ásmundsson joins the band
bass,original
source: musicbrainz
· Debut release
Debut release: Mezzoforte
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
1980s
1990s
· Member joins
Óskar Guðjónsson joins the band
saxophone
source: musicbrainz
2000s
· Member leaves
Óskar Guðjónsson leaves the band
saxophone
source: musicbrainz
· Member joins
Sebastian Studnitzky joins the band
keyboard,trumpet
source: musicbrainz
· Member joins
Óskar Guðjónsson joins the band
saxophone
source: musicbrainz
2010s
· Member leaves
Óskar Guðjónsson leaves the band
saxophone
source: musicbrainz
· Member joins
Jonas Wall joins the band
saxophone
source: musicbrainz
· Member leaves
Sebastian Studnitzky leaves the band
keyboard,trumpet
source: musicbrainz
Biography
English biography266 words · 2 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1376877174
Biography
Mezzoforte is an instrumental jazz-funk fusion band from Iceland, formed in 1977.
They signed a record deal with Icelandic label Steinar. Their biggest hit single was "Garden Party
Garden PartySpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAGarden Party3:50BEarly Autumn4:40" (1983), taken from their fourth album (second international release) Surprise Surprise
Surprise SurpriseSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Surprise1:28A2Garden Party6:10A3Gazing at the Clouds6:42A4Early Autumn6:30A5Action Man5:13B1Funk Suite No. 15:57B2Easy Jack4:58B3Fusion Blues5:51B4The Old Neighborhood5:45B5Surprise, Reprise1:02. It peaked at number 17 in the UK Singles Chart. The solo that takes place two minutes into "Garden Party", was created and played on the flugelhorn by English trumpeter, Stephen Dawson. "Garden Party" was later covered by Herb Alpert, at a slower speed than the original, apparently as he had learned the track from the single played at the wrong speed. Another single, "Rockall" spent one week at number 75 in the same listing in June that year, and was used as a signature tune by several European radio chart shows.
The band was named after the traditional musical term mezzo forte, an instruction to play literally "moderately loud".
Saxophonist Kristinn Svavarsson died in January 2026, at the age of 78.
Band members
Original line-up from 1977:
Eyþór Gunnarsson – keyboards
Jóhann Ásmundsson – bass
Gunnlaugur Briem-Gulli Briem (Gulli) – drums
Friðrik Karlsson (Frissi) – guitars
Other members, present and past:
Bruno Müller – guitars (2005–2014)
Sebastian Studnitzky – trumpet & keyboards (2005–present)
Thomas Dyani – percussion (2004–present)
Jonas Wall – saxophones (2013–present)
Ari Bragi Karason – trumpet
Staffan William-Olsson – guitars (2003–2004)
Joel Palsson – saxophones (2003)
Guðmundur Pétursson – guitars (2003)
Óskar Guðjónsson – saxophones (1996–2003, 2005–2013)
Kåre Kolve – saxophones (1991–1994)
Björn Thorarensen – synthesizers (1980–1982)
Kristinn Svavarsson – saxophones (1982–1985; died 2026)
David O'Higgins – saxophones (1985–1989, 2002–2004)
Jeroen De Rijk – percussion (1984–1986)
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 14 | 70.2th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 25 | 88.9th |
| Studio albums | 13 | 93.5th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 26 | 95.9th |
| Recording span (years) | 37 | 76.5th |
| Genres | 5 | 88.3th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (25 release groups · 13 studio albums)
Albums · 13
1979 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 8 tracks · 36:22
A1Kínahverfið5:13A2Í Dagsins Önn4:04A3Kvöldstund Með Þér4:54A4Þeir Settu Svip Á Bæinn5:08B1Fyrirkomulagið4:38B2Gengið Á Jökulinn4:51B3Þegar Tangóinn Fékk Sér Nýjan Kjól3:26B4Sólroðinn4:081982 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks · 49:36
A1Surprise1:28A2Garden Party6:10A3Gazing at the Clouds6:42A4Early Autumn6:30A5Action Man5:13B1Funk Suite No. 15:57B2Easy Jack4:58B3Fusion Blues5:51B4The Old Neighborhood5:45B5Surprise, Reprise1:021983 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks · 48:43
A1Intro1:05A2Danger/High Voltage4:29A3Surprise0:42A4Gazing at the Clouds6:40A5Early Autumn7:06A6The Venue4:43B1Midnight Express4:03B2Garden Party7:40B3Surprise Surprise5:52B4Blue Ice6:231984 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks · 46:23
1Check It In2:032Take Off5:403Happy Hour5:324Waves5:355Blizzard4:036Solid4:037Northern Comfort4:508Fiona5:429Rising5:3010Check It Out3:251984 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 9 tracks · 46:28
1Midnight Sun4:292Spring Fever4:043Summer Dream5:164The Venue4:495Rockall4:586Double Orange Juice5:437We're Only Here for the Beer5:428Observations5:079Distance6:201986 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 8 tracks · 43:55
1Icebreaker4:132No Limit5:243Joyride4:404Evolution7:445Nothing Lasts Forever4:496E. G. Blues6:177Another Day5:048Crystal Rain5:441989 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 9 tracks · 42:25
1Playing for Time5:182Expressway4:283Magic4:564Take a Breath5:205Prime Time5:336Hitchhiker3:597High Season4:558Quick Step4:109In a Word3:461994 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks · 50:00
1Little Rock4:502Downtown5:083Daybreak5:104After Hours4:355Roller Coaster5:076Cobra4:077Jakarta Dream5:458Everything You Want4:069Journey's End6:5510Silently4:171996 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 8 tracks · 36:14
1Humoresque / Gletta3:432Midnight Express / Miðnæturhraðlestin3:373Danger High Voltage / Háspenna Lifshætta4:084Octopus / Eftirsjá5:325Shooting Star / Stjörnuhrap5:146Northern Winds / Vindur Úr Suðri5:337Rendez-Vous / Fyrstu Kynni6:008Finale / Niðurlagið2:271996 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 13 tracks · 1:09:15
1Monkey Fields6:1121812 Premature6:273Make It Funky4:074Wee Ahh5:185Drive4:226Plan B5:017Blow4:288Step Right Back4:589Funeral For A Mouse5:2210Tom Jam Blah4:3111The Squid6:1212Aurora5:1413Monkey Fields / Jam7:042004 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 12 tracks · 59:02
1Tribute4:282Nightfall4:463Hard Wired4:424Forward Motion4:565Beyond the Horizon5:096Four Corners4:227Cruising5:398Quartier Latin5:059Funky Staircase5:2110Weather Ahead3:4611Sizzle5:0412Gratitude5:442010 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 12 tracks · 1:02:50
1It's a Funk Thing4:562Berlin Boogie5:363High Life5:314Sleeping Volcano6:515Stepping Out4:166Jump Town5:357Sea Breeze5:598Bright and Early4:519Hatton5:1210Down on Sunset4:2311So What's Up4:5312Wandering Soul4:472012 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 9 tracks · 52:53
1Angel Town5:142Suitcase5:423Time Out6:044Funky Homer4:205Heimaey6:196B&B5:31709:086:058Here and Now6:149Islands7:24
Single · 4
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Garden PartySearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracks · 8:30AGarden Party3:50 BEarly Autumn4:40 | 1983 | ||
| 1984 | Take OffSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracks · 7:18ATake Off (Special mix)3:53 BDouble Orange Juice (Special mix)3:25 | 1984 | ||
| 1991 | Better LoveSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 2 tracks · 10:09ABetter Love3:58 BGarden Party (In the House mix)6:11 | 1991 | ||
| 1996 | Step Right BackSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 5 tracks · 24:421Step Right Back (original radio edit)3:40 2Step Right Back (Geo’s Funky radio mix)3:18 3Step Right Back (Geo’s Funky version)6:43 4Step Right Back (Geo’s club mix)6:07 5Step Right Back (original album version)4:54 | 1996 |
Album · 8
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | The Saga So FarSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 11 tracks · 49:251Surprise1:34 2Garden Party5:48 3Taking Off5:46 4Spring Fever4:06 5Danger High Voltage4:06 6Gazing At The Clouds4:27 7This Is The Night4:59 8Funksuite No. 1.4:23 9Midnight Sun4:29 10Rockall4:59 11Dreamland4:48 | Compilation | 1985 | |
| 1989 | Catching Up With MezzoforteSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 14 tracks · 1:02:541Surprise0:34 2Danger High Voltage4:09 3Rise and Shine4:33 4Midnight Express3:36 5Sweet Nothings6:07 6The Funky Fish Fillet4:54 7Shooting Star6:51 8Dreamland6:27 9Humoresque3:42 10Northern Winds5:32 11Goosebumps4:02 12Rendezvous5:59 13Sugar and Sweets4:04 14Finale2:24 | Compilation | April 1989 | |
| 1991 | FortissimosSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 15 tracks · 1:15:451Better Love4:04 2Casablanca4:53 3No Limits6:50 4Later On4:39 5Rockall5:15 6Garden Party5:46 7Midnight Sun4:15 8Early Autumn6:14 9E.G. Blues6:20 10Spring Fever4:27 11Surprise Surprise1:37 12Taking Off5:46 13High Season4:24 14This Is The Night5:04 15Garden Party (In House Remix)6:11 | Compilation | September 1991 | |
| 1999 | Garden Party Time - The Best of MezzoforteSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 18 tracks · 1:36:28Disc 1 1Garden Party (Millenium mix)4:46 2Rockall4:56 3E.G. Blues6:15 4Spring Fever3:52 5No Limit (remix)4:39 6Early Autumn6:09 7Expressway4:27 8This Is the Night3:38 9Midnight Sun4:13 10Blow4:26 11Daybreak5:01 12The Squid5:23 13Stratus5:51 14Funkin’ Marvellous - Jazz Funk (medley)4:30 Disc 21Garden Party (original version)6:06 2Garden Party (Can 7 mix)7:12 3Garden Party (Brazil mix)7:19 4Funkin' Marvelous - Jazz Funk (medley)7:45 | Compilation | 1999 | |
| 2001 | The Very Best OfSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 14 tracks · 1:10:141Garden Mix (Millenium mix)4:46 2Rockall4:56 3E.G. Blues6:15 4Spring Fever3:55 5No Limit (Millenium version)3:49 6Early Autumn6:09 7Expressway4:28 8This Is the Night3:38 9Midnight Sun4:14 10Daybreak5:02 11The Squid5:23 12Stratus5:50 13Funkin' Marvelous Jazz/Funk Medley7:48 14Garden Party (S.O.L. radio mix)4:01 | Compilation | 24 October 2001 | |
| 2007 | Live in ReykjavikSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 19 tracks · 1:56:52Disc 1 1Expressway4:53 2Action Man6:18 3Hard Wired4:29 4Icebreaker4:27 5Nightfall4:50 6Evolution7:40 7Drive5:58 8Beyond the Horizon6:56 9High Season4:37 10Surprise, Garden Party7:59 Disc 21Prime Time8:31 2Early Autumn7:24 3E.G. Blues9:26 4Later On5:04 5Cobra4:30 6Joyride4:58 7Happy Hour4:50 8Four Corners6:48 9Medley: Midnight Sun, Spring Fever, Rockall7:14 | Live | 2007 | |
| 2007 | Anniversary EditionSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 30 tracksDisc 1 1Surprise Surprise 2Garden Party 3Take Off 4Midnight Sun 5Nightfall 6Drive 7High Season 8Icebreaker 9Prime Time 10Journey's End 11Daybreak 12Monkey Fields 13Later On 14Beyond the Horizon 15Crystal Rain Disc 21Double Orange Juice 2E.G. Blues 3Expressway 4Action Man 5Roller Coaster 6Blow 7Fiona 8Weather Ahead 9Cobra 10Early Autumn 11Obervations 12Hard Wired 13Summer Dream 14Rockall 15In A Word | Compilation | April 2007 | |
| 2016 | Live From LondonSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 9 tracks · 56:231/9Danger High Voltage4:17 2/9Gazing At The Clouds8:04 3/9Action Man5:47 4/9Early Autumn8:18 5/9Summer Dream6:04 6/9The Venue6:10 7/9Double Orange Juice5:41 8/9Spring Fever4:07 9/9Garden Party7:55 | Live | 27 July 2016 |
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put Mezzoforte head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 14 | 70.2th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 25 | 88.9th |
| Studio albums | 13 | 93.5th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 26 | 95.9th |
| Recording span (years) | 37 | 76.5th |
| Genres | 5 | 88.3th |
Awards & honours
Line-up
| Name | From | To | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eythór Gunnarsson | 1977 | present | keyboard,original |
| Friðrik Karlsson | 1977 | present | guitar,original |
| Gunnlaugur „Gulli“ Briem | 1977 | present | membranophone,original |
| Jóhann Ásmundsson | 1977 | present | bass,original |
| Óskar Guðjónsson | 1996 | 2003 | saxophone |
| Sebastian Studnitzky | 2005 | February 2014 | keyboard,trumpet |
| Óskar Guðjónsson | 2005 | 2013 | saxophone |
| Jonas Wall | 2013 | present | saxophone |
| Kristinn Svavarsson | — | present | saxophone |
Where this record comes from
portrait—Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mezzoforte_Kongsberg_Jazzfestival_2017_%28230424%29.jpgaliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/a395dfdb-791e-4e57-ad3b-99948a162742discography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/a395dfdb-791e-4e57-ad3b-99948a162742core—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q639262genre—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q639262seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mezzoforte_%28band%29biography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mezzoforte_%28band%29
Why this artist is in the database
- List of funk musicians
Tier rule: curated genre/region list
Image: Tore Sætre · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Wikidata: Q639262 · MusicBrainz: a395dfdb-791e-4e57-ad3b-99948a162742
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