Celebrating Billy Strayhorn!

29th of November is Billy Strayhorns birthday! In two days, at 29th of November, it is 100 years since he was born. I’m very happy that we are celebrating this at Glenn Miller Café in Stockholm. We’ll play with my band, and we have the great pleasure to have Jan Allan as guest. Just get the chance to play together with Jan.. I’m really looking forward to this! One week later, 7th of December, we play at Duke Ellington Society in Stockholm.

Here’s the band:
Jan Allan – trumpetMagnus Dölerud – saxophone
Erik Lindeborg – piano
Hans Backenroth – bass
Gustav Nahlin – drums

Billy Strayhorn has been my favorite composer a long time! It did not really started with Ellington. It started when I was listening to other musicians that recorded some of his song at their albums, and this song really made me listen. And that’s how it started. I think there is something unique in all his song. It could be melodic motive, an harmonic progression or maybe the form. And his ballads. They are magic!

I hope we can continue work with this project and this great music! Anyway I’m sure it will be at my repertoire the rest of my life! Billy Strayhorn