Nils Landgren about the making of Christmas with my friends
With the “Christmas With My Friends” concert recording a long-time dream come true for me.
I have always wanted to perform these songs of joy, but in my own way and with good friends as company, being able to concentrate on the music without any boundaries.
It is with great pride and happiness that I am presenting this Christmas concert to you. It is the Christmas I dreamed of as a kid and I kept on dreaming till I got the chance to fulfil it and now it´s here, right in front of me and you.
I am as happy as a kid on Christmas Eve when the gifts are handed out (yes, that´s the way we do it in Sweden).
The music on this recording is a choice of songs that I have come across during all the years of dreaming of making this project.
I have been searching all over the place and I have asked all my friends performing on this project to look for songs they¹d like to perform.
What we’ve got is a wonderful mix of songs from medieval Europe to modern Christmas songs from the American tradition, something that I always wanted to do, at least as long as I have been in the business which counts 30 years today.
My friends on this recording are simply the best ones I could wish for as Christmas gifts. Viktoria Tolstoy, Sharon Dyall, Jeanette Köhn, Johan Norberg, Ulf Wakenius, Jonas Knutsson, Lars Danielsson and Bugge Wesseltoft, they all go way back.
Ida Sandlund is my newest friend, a truly wonderful performer from whom you will hear more and soon!
I hope that you will enjoy our way of celebrating Christmas. Please do not forget why we celebrate. Let us make this world a better place where we all can live together and enjoy our time here on earth. Love, Nils.
Besetzung:
Nils Landgren (trombone & vocals), Viktoria Tolstoy, Jeanette Köhn & Sharon Dyall (vocals), Ida Sandlund (piano & vocals), Bugge Wesseltoft (piano), Lars Danielsson (bass & cello), Johan Norberg & Ulf Wakenius (guitar), Anders Bromander (church organ), Walter Brolund Trombone Choir.
Additional track on the CD: ‘Maybe This Christmas’ with Jonas Knutsson.
18 Tracks. Recorded on December 4, 2005 at Odensala Medieval Church, Märsta / Stockholm, Sweden.
"Surely the best Christmas jazz DVD ever!" (JAZZ REVIEW, UK)