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Tolvan Big Band

It is widely known that Sweden has become, since many decades ago, one of the European jazz capitals. Jazz is, in fact, the official music of this Scandinavian country; its jazz orchestras are unanimously acclaimed and well-known.

All the way from Sweden to pay us a visit come the Tolvan, which, based in the coastal city of Malmö, are considered one of the main and most innovative big bands of the world. Since 1979, driven by their leader Helge Albin, outstanding saxophonist, composer and arranger, the group have developed a successful career as a creative ensemble which can play a variety of rhythms and styles with equal skill and elegance.

On the occasion of the Kristianstad Jazz Festival in 1983, they shared the stage with Dizzy Gillespie, who said of them: ‘They are the best big band I have ever played with since 1947!’. Also in 1983 they appeared at the Montreux Festival, giving rise to their first live recording. In 1989, Michael Brecker joined them as a guest and later declared: ‘You won’t find as great a band in New York...” In 1995, Helge Alvin was awarded the Sydsvenska Dagbladet’s Eupapris award for ‘having turned the Tolvan Big Band into a noteworthy European institution’. He was the first musician to be honoured with such award, usually intended for politicians or prominent figures of the Swedish society. Their latest releases were the suite Thetris, written by Albin and performed alongside the Malmö Symphony Orchestra, and the celebrated “A Walk in the Centerpoint” and “Code Red”, much praised by the specialised press.

Programme

Friday 17
8.30pm

Coliseo Theatre

Tolvan Big Band
  • Helge Albin (alto sax, flute, musical director)
  • Inge Petersson (tenor sax)
  • Ulf Holmström (alto sax, alto flute)
  • Cennet Jönsson (tenor sax, soparano sax, bass clarinet)
  • Bernt Sjunnesson (baritone sax, flute)
  • Anders Gustafsson (trumpet)
  • Christer Gustafsson (trumpet)
  • Roy Wall (trumpet)
  • Fredrik Davidsson (trumpet)
  • Peter Asplund (trumpet)
  • Vincent Nilsson (trombone)
  • Olle Tull (trombone)
  • Ola Åkerman (trombone)
  • Ola Nordqvist (trombone)
  • Björn Hängsel (bass trombone, tuba)
  • Jacob Karlzon (piano)
  • Patrik Albin (double bass)
  • Lennart Gruvstedt (drums)
Host: Donny McCaslin & Fernando Tarrés Cuarteto
Payable shows: Stalls $20, first, second and third tier: $10. International concerts