Umeå Jazz Festival celebrated it’s 50th year with
grand jubilee project 50th Edition Jazz Orchestra

A warm and heartfelt Thank you goes out to all musicians, to Umeå Jazz Festival and Lennart Strömbäck, Artistic Director of the festival since 1991 and originator of this grand jubilee project.
Music is the essence of life! Photo: Kicki Mannberg

On stage with Lars Lystedt, founder of Umeå Jazz Festival, having just performed his original
composition ”Havanna Blues”. Photo: Kicki Mannberg

Kvällskonsert

Lyssna / Listen

Umeås 50:e jazzfestival firar med jubileumsmusik: 
50th Edition Orchestra

Vi inleder nu vårt årslånga jubileumsfirande med 50th Edition Jazz Orchestra som intar Idunscenen
under lördagseftermiddagen. Här exponeras några av vår tids improvisationsmusiker som alla tagit 
stora intryck av vår stads jazzmusikaliska arv men som också skrivit sin egen historia och lagt till
sina unika kvaliteter.

Jag har fått i uppdrag att leda ensemblen. I husbandet återfinns slagverkaren Mikael Emsings Trash Orchestra men även många andra musiker från Umeås jazzscen.

Läs mer / Read more

Foto: Markus Åkebo
Lyssna /Listen

Willemark Knutsson Öberg 

Lite i taget har vi äntligen börjat fila på nytt material. Kanske blir det ändå en skiva igen!  En uppföljare till ”Alla Drömmars Sång”. Denna gång tänker vi i termer av ”svenska klassiker” och provar oss fram bland gemensamma favoriter som tex Marie Bergmans "Dagar".

Lyssna/ Listen

 Det har snart gått fem år sedan vi gjorde ”Alla Drömmars Sång” –

vi har sparat ett klipp från nättidningen blindedbysound.com där vi fick beröm av Greg Babrick i april 2013:

 ”There is a certain beauty of the music of Lena Willemark, Jonas Knutsson and Mats Öberg that deifes easy description. The trio identiy as jazz, but as broad as that term is, it does not do justice to their new album, ”Alla Drömmars Sång”. Maybe it comes from thier Swedish heritage, and a culture that I am not very familiar with. But there is more to it than that. Music is universal, not geografical, and there is something about this recording that drew me in immediately. After numerous spins, the attraction has only grown deeper. ”Alla Drömmars Sång” translates to ”Song of Dreams”, which is about as apt a title as I could think of for this album.

Mitt TED X talk om improvisation 

Att improvisera från insidan är lätt för mig men att beskriva det från utsidan...Huvvaligen va svårt! och inte på modersmålet heller. Verkligen en utmaning. Jag gjorde i alla fall ett försök.

Se / Watch

Inte bara Bach
Musik för kyrkorummet
Jonas Knutsson saxofoner 
Christian Spering Kontrabas och elektronik

Musik av JS Bach, improvisationer och egna kompositioner är ett konsertprogram som vi hoppas kunna jobba med framöver. Hör av er om ni vill veta mer: knutssongs@gmail.com eller https://www.facebook.com/jonas.knutsson.355

Lyssna / Listen

Bothnia Rhytm Orchestra
Folk/Jazz/Rap/ Big Band 

Musicians with roots in Öster- and Västerbotten, Stockholm, Helsinki och Córdoba unite with the soloists and composers  Erik Rydvall nyckelharpa, Mofeta rap, Jonas Knutsson saxophones. Master Hasse Hjortek make our music shine through his briliant arrangements and conducting.

”Music is the sound of the soul”

Most Welcome!

4/10 Jakobstad -FIN  Schauman hall 19.00
5/10 Vasa -FIN          Ritz  19.00 
7/10 Umeå                Väven  19.00
8/10 Umeå                Väven  19.00
10/10 Skellefteå        Anderstorpssalen 19.00 
12/10 Sundsvall        Tonhallen  19.00
13/10 Gävle              Gävle Teater  19.00

 Links for tickets here:

http://bothniarhythmorchestra.eu/

Welcome!

2016-09-01
A dear reunion tonight at Reginateatern in Uppsala Sweden at 6pm. Anatolic, Norwegian and Swedish folk music.
Fuat Talay saz comp arr, Jonas Knutsson sax comp arr, Britt Pernille Frøholm hardingfela, Lisa Lestander voc, Erik Rydval nyckelharpa, Clas Lassbo bass, Rafael Sida trummor 

 

Weather is going to be nice they say...Lots of music!
Our band starts at 19.30  Rickard Jokela bass, Mikael Emsing perc, Johannes Bergenheim piano, Thomas Ivarsson drums special guest Lisa Lestander voc.

Mats Öberg and myself are looking forward to our Umeå concert 4th of May at Sävargården. 

Listen to a song from our first CD Vådårå Vadårå here

Here is a clip from our concerts at "Kammaren" in Stockholm 17/3 with
Jonas Knutsson Quartet.

Click here

Jeanette Köhn / Jonas Knutsson / Trio X

Turnéplan Uppsala län februari 2016 

Lördag 13 februari 18.00 Stavby bygdegård,
Söndag 14 februari 15.00 Söderögården, Långalma
Måndag 15 februari 19.00 Vittinge kyrka
Tisdag 16 februari 19.00 Tilassalen, Knivsta
Onsdag 17 februari 19.00 Föreningshuset Gårdskär
Torsdag 18 februari 19.00 Fridegårdsteatern, Bålsta
Fredag 19 februari 19.00 Equmeniakyrkan, Karlholmsbruk
Lördag 20 februari 15.00 Västerledskyrkan, Enköping

Jeanette Köhn sång, Jonas Knutsson saxofoner, Per Johansson bas, Lennart Simonsson piano, Joakim Ekberg trummor
Efter några härliga repdagar ser vi fram emot turnén. Musiken blir jazz, klassiskt, filmmusik, folkmusik. Allt med lekfullhet och spelglädje. Välkomna! 

2015-09-11
Tvenne releaser i helgen!
Berger Knutsson Spering och Max Schultz
releasekonsert "Blue Blue" på Pygmeteatern Stockholm 19.00
Vegagatan 17 (T-Odenplan) 

Spring tour in Sweden with Jonas Knutsson Quartet
3-7 Ferbruary Bollnäs Stockholm Umeå Skellefteå

Most welcome to visit us on our tour. We will play music from our latest release "Livsmedel"
Please listen to "Kumare" here 
Buy the music here! 

September 2014
Berger Knutsson Spering på Glenn Miller Café

Our experienced trio BKS are going to do two hits at Glenn Miller Café. 1st and 2nd september.
Soulful free and not so free jazz, country & eastern or anything. Our list of songs is nowadays too long.
We simply forget about it and just play! Enjoy!  
Listen here: 

September 2014
Jonas Knutsson Quartet new CD and
Swedish concerts

Swedish saxophonist Jonas Knutsson has been a central part of the swedish music scene since the eighties. His quartet celebrates its 15th anniversary with the new album ”Livsmedel” (spiritual and material means for living). Groovy and melodic jazz of great feel and depth.
Concerts: 8/9 Borlänge, 13/9 Gävle, 14/9 Stockholm Dieselverkstaden
Jonas Knutsson: saxophones
Anders Persson: piano
Clas Lassbo: double bass
Rafael Sida: percussion
Listen to a song here:  
Welcome! 

May 2014
Nos Honks (SE/FR)Invites Jean Michel Veillon and
Gilles Le Bigot (FR Bretagne) for a tour in Sweden and Denmark

 

May 2014
Nos Honks "Prisma" New CD! 

February 2014
Jonas Knutsson Quartet new CD
"Livsmedel"

We are soon about to finish our upcoming CD "Livsmedel".
Anne-Li Karlsson is making the cover drawings this week.
Jonas Knutsson: saxophones
Anders Persson: piano
Clas Lassbo: double bass
Rafael Sida: percussion

Please listen to "Hymn", one of my old melodies that we have re-recorded for this album. DJ Avicii decided to use the melody for one of his songs "Dear Boy" on his latest album "True".

"Hymn (No 2)"

2013-11-09
Knutssons Essentials presents:
KMH Folk meets kora master Alagi M´Bye (Gambia) and pianist Arne Forsén
Dieselverkstaden Nacka
Lilla scenen at 16.00
Read more 

I am happy to, with the help from Dieselverkstaden present Kungliga Musikhögskolans fantastic Folk Music Big Band together with Kora naster Jali Alagi M´Bye and jazz/folk piano master Arne Forsén. It will be an afternoon full of Alagi´s magic melodies and grooves. Welcome!

I am happy to, with the help from Dieselverkstaden present composer, singer songwriter, pianist and vocalist Mathilde Renault from Belgium.
We have been working together since 2009 when we recorded the CD "Louana" together. We have been touring in Belgium, sweden and performed at Paris Jazzfestival among other things.
Mathilde recently released her 2nd solo album as a singer-songwriter called "Devils on the road".
This evening we will also perform together with improvising dancers from MaudsArt in Uppsala. 

2013-09-28
Knutssons Essentials presents:
Mathilde Renault piano vocals
Jonas Knutsson saxophones
Dancers from MaudsArt
Dieselverkstaden Nacka
Lilla scenen at 16.00
Read more 

I am happy to, with the help from Dieselverkstaden present composer, singer songwriter, pianist and vocalist Mathilde Renault from Belgium.
We have been working together since 2009 when we recorded the CD "Louana" together. We have been touring in Belgium, sweden and performed at Paris Jazzfestival among other things.
Mathilde recently released her 2nd solo album as a singer-songwriter called "Devils on the road".
This evening we will also perform together with improvising dancers from MaudsArt in Uppsala. 

2013-07-10
Jonas Knutsson Quartet new CD

From left: Anders Persson piano, Jonas Knutsson sax, Rafael Sida perc, Clas Lassbo bass
Finally we got together to record some new music in the nice studio "Pannhuset" in Stockholm.
Thank´s to Classe Persson, Magnus Persson and Göran Peterson, who made it possible!

2013-05-31
Niklas Rådström: text
Berger Knutsson Spering and
the Indra Quartet prepares Beethoven-Grand Tour

The rehearsals has now began for our concert at Lyckå Chamber Music Festival. We are all really looking forward to this. To hear the briliant string quartet Indra play pieces from Beethovens late string quartets in a living room is something every human being should experience. -What a pleasure!
Berger Knutsson Spering improvises in between and together with the quartet. Borrows some melodies and a different sound is born.Now we are excited to hear what Niklas´s text will be like...

2013-04-05
Review from Blinded by sound USA
Alla drömmars sång
Willemark Knutsson Öberg 

Today we recieved an review that made us very happy!
It is written by Greg  Barbrick.

There is a certain beauty to the music of Lena Willemark, Jonas Knuttson, and Mats Oberg that defies easy description. The trio identify as jazz, but as broad as that term is, it does not do justice their new album, Alla Drommars Sang. Maybe it comes from their Swedish heritage, and a culture that I am not very familiar with. But there is more to it than that. Music is universal, not geographical, and there is something about this recording that drew me in immediately. After numerous spins, the attraction has only grown deeper. Alla Drommars Sang translates to Song of Dreams, which is about as apt a title as I could think of for this album.

Lena Willemark (vocals, violin, viola) is described as a "major voice in Swedish folk music," which does not surprise me. Her voice has an earthy quality, an honesty if you like, that adds a very distinctive element to the songs she sings on. Her violin and viola playing is just as important, as it takes many of the pieces in directions one would never have expected.

There is a strong sense of mystery to this music, and much of it comes from the saxophone of Jonas Knuttson. He is a large man, with a "big musical appetite," yet onAlla Drommars Sang his horn never overpowers the songs. Knuttson's sax adds a marvelous accompanying voice to everything. I have heard it said that the best players know what not to play, because that is the hardest thing of all. It is clear that Knuttson knows this instinctively.

Mats Oberg's piano may well be the "other" aspect of this music that makes it so special. His playing provides the glue that holds everything together, but there is more to it than that. On many of the songs, the precise command of his playing seems to lift the music into an entirely different realm.

The individual parts are superb, but there is something of a musical alchemy that catches hold when the three play together. It drew me in from the opening notes of the first track, "Norrskensbrand." The three musicians blend together perfectly here, and produce a sound all their own. This Swedish jazz cum folk mode continues on such songs as "Limberg," "Jag Unnar Dig," and others.

For this listener, the instrumental interplay between Knuttson and Oberg is key. I was especially entranced by the way the two interact during "Laungga Tid," among other tracks. The brilliance of these musicians cannot be overstated.

There is more to Alla Drommars Sang than "just" these alluring tones though. Another very intriguing direction they pursue is heard in "Kambhoji." This song virtually defines what came to my mind when I pondered the name of their record label, Country & Eastern. Willemark's violin has morphed into a fiddle on this cut, and "Kambhoji" is the first Swedish hoedown I have ever come across.

The album's closing "Ja-Ia" is perhaps the most intriguing. I thought I had recognized the name of Mats Oberg from somewhere, and it was on this track that I made the connection. He is one half of the Mats/Morgan Band, whose Cuneiform Records releaseThe Music or the Money from 2010 is exceptional. I am glad that I did not make the connection immediately, because it probably would have clouded my expectations, in one way or another. "Ja-Ia" is the trio's most overt foray into the avant-garde, and on it they all really flex their musical chops. It is a great way to end the album, and only leaves the listener wanting more from this very impressive trio.

As mentioned earlier, Alla Drommars Sang is available from the Swedish label Country & Eastern, who have a number of other releases in their catalog as well. The label has been a great find for me, and I will be reviewing more of their titles here in the future. For those interested in jazz of a unique and very satisfying nature, I would suggest checking out the label at their website. If Alla Drommars Sang is any indication, there is a great deal more fascinating music there, just waiting to be discovered.

2013-03-12
CD Release /Concert at Orionteatern
19.00
Alla drömmars sång
Willemark Knutsson Öberg 

Our new CD is here! We are very happy about it!
After many years of sporadic concerts in this formation we finally recorded.

Lena Willemark voice violin, Mats Öberg keyboards harmonica, Jonas Knutsson saxophones

2012-11-15
Knutssons Essentials Dieselverkstaden
Stora Scenen 19.00
Willemark Öberg Knutsson och KMH Folk

Knutssons Essentials Dieselverkstaden
Stora Scenen 19.00
Willemark Öberg Knutsson och KMH Folk
The final rehearsal before the concert. It´s a very good vibe and KMH Folk is briliant! We are looking forward! Energy, melodies and groove! Most welcome on thursday!

Lena Willemark voice violin, Mats Öberg keyboards harmonica, Jonas Knutsson saxophones, KMH Folk (30 students in the Folk music department at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Stockholm)

2012-10-24
Swedish tour starts in Gävle concert house with
Tom Kennedy (US) Jonas Knutsson (SWE)
Int. Quartet

Tom Kennedy bas (US) Jonas Knutsson sax (SWE), Charles Blenzig piano (US), Tuomas Ojala trummor (Fin-Swe)

Tom Kennedy and I met in the eighties and toured together with "the Kennedy brothers quartet" in Sweden and the U.S. After that we did´t meet again until a few years ago in NYC. The idea to make a swedish tour appeared. 
Tom Kennedy is nowadays, beside his own recording projects travelling around the world with guitarist Mike Stern. Many times also in projects around drummer Dave Weckl among others. He is a true virituoso of the electric and acoustic bass.
Charles Blenzig he has been a part of the New York City jazz scene for over 25 years. He is currently working with a number of musicians including the Italian rap star Lorenzo Cherubini (aka Jovanatti) and Solaluna NY Lab, singer/songer writer Michael Franks among others.
Tuomas Ojala is a fantastic, luminiscent drummer with a lot of energi and groove.He plays in the band Gushpanka lead by Israelian pianist/composer Ira Mogilevsky. He also play in Trio Mockunas / Anderskov / Ojala.
We are looking forward to a week of nice gigs around Sweden!
We will visit  Gävle, Göteborg, Umeå, Robertsfors, Stockholm och Örebro
You are most welcome! 

2012-02-21
"Västerbotten" 
Västerbottensteatern Skellefteå 19.00

Marianne Folkedotter story telling, Jonas Knutsson saxophones, Johan Norberg guitars, Sune Jonsson photographs
You can find the performances of this spring below.
Läs mer 

2012-01-26
"Windmill" 
Studion Jazzklubben Umeå

This new formation had it´s first performance some weeks ago at Umeå Jazz Club after acouple of days of rehearsals in a garage in Stockholm.  The concert was brodcasted  was by the Swedish Radio.
Per Sjöberg tuba, Andreas Rydman lap steel, gitarr, weissenborn, Petter Berndalen slagverk. Jonas Knutsson saxofoner

Läs recension
Lyssna på låten Windmill 

2012-01-24
Lena Willemark Mats Öberg Jonas Knutsson
i Atlantisstudion

After many years of making music together we finally booked a recording date in studio Atlantis in Stockholm. We had a wonderful day with engineer Janne Hansson. Here is a ruff mix of a song.
Ro Erik