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Karl-Martin Almqvist

Karl-Martin Almqvist, saxophonist and composer, is one of the most uniquely personal voices found on the Swedish jazz scene today. He comes from the town of Karlstad, which he left at the age of 18 to take up his studies in music at Skurups Folkhögskola, continuing at the Conservatory of Music in Malmö, then moving on to the Mannes College of Music in New York City in 1994, where he remained for about two years. There Karl-Martin studied with musicians such as George Garzone, Bob Mintzer, Richie Beirach and Reggie Workman. In autumn 1996 he returned to Sweden, and 1998 he made Stockholm his home.

As a soloist/member Karl-Martin is found both on record and in performance with a range some of the finest groups and constellations in Sweden, such as Stockholm Jazz Orchestra, Maggi Olin Band, Moksha, Mathias Landeus House of Approximation‚ Rigmor Gustafsson, Nils Landgren Funk Unit and Jacob Karlzon Big 5. He has played extensively throughout Europe and also toured Mexico, Latinamerica, Asia and the U.S.

Karl-Martin first formed his quartet in 1996. Full Circle‚ (Prophone PCD 068, 2004) is his second release as a leader, the debut record on the same label having been released 2001 (Prophone PCD 057). As the title suggests, Karl-Martin finds himself having come full circle in the partly new constellation, with Jonas �-stholm, piano, Filip Augustson, bass and Sebastian Voegler, drums. The group is showing a new side in it's overall sound and compositions. The concept and approach have further developed into something more personal, more sincere, and into a new found ease of expression, which is intensely melodic and rhythmical. The Karl-Martin Almqvist Quartet stands firmly in the grounds of tradition, at the same time as it  continuosly  searches for new streams.

The Karl-Martin Almqvist Quartet has played extensively throughout Scandinavia, appeared twice at the renown Stockholm Jazz Festival, and was last year invited to tour South America, performing at the "Providencia Jazz Festival" in Santiago de Chile and "LaPataia Jazz Festival" in Punto del Este, Uruguay, with other appearances in Argentina and Chile. The group was also invited to perform at the "Rochester International Jazz Festival" in New York state summer of 2005.

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5
Album Review

Martin Sjöstedt & Stockholm Jazz Orchestra: Horizon

Read "Horizon" reviewed by Neil Duggan


The Stockholm Jazz Orchestra has been together since 1984--40 years at this writing. That is quite an achievement. especially in an age where large ensembles make little financial sense. In 1986, Bob Brookmeyer joined the band as a guest, eventually leading to his compositions featuring on their debut album, Dreams (Dragon, 1988). Subsequently, they have played with artists such as Maria Schneider and The Yellowjackets and undertaken numerous worldwide tours. Operating similarly to a jazz collective, all the ...

19
Album Review

Django Bates: Tenacity

Read "Tenacity" reviewed by Pat Youngspiel


Few jazz artists go to such great lengths to make their audience feel at the same time bewildered by humor-infused technical exhaustion and smitten by charm and sheer musical beauty as Django Bates does. The English pianist and composer has gained a reputation over the years, for bringing the quirkiest and widest range of ideas and styles to a, more or less, aesthetically-serious art form. Some might even claim he's the Frank Zappa of jazz. Then again, who's to say ...

19
Album Review

Django Bates: Tenacity

Read "Tenacity" reviewed by John Kelman


It's been a long time since that late May, 2013 week in Luleå, Sweden, where pianist Django Bates and his Belovèd Trio first collaborated with the renowned Norrbotten Big Band. Fully documented in the All About Jazz article Django Bates: From Zero to Sixty in Five Days, Bates, bassist Petter Eldh and drummer Peter Bruun, along with other non-Norrbotteners, including guitarist Markus Pesonen, tubaist Daniel Herskedal and trombonist/vocalist Ashley Slater, made the lengthy trek to this small coastal town, located ...

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Profile

Karl-Martin Almqvist: Sweden's "Bear" Digs for Roots

Read "Karl-Martin Almqvist: Sweden's "Bear" Digs for Roots" reviewed by Chris Mosey


In his native Sweden they call big, bearded Karl-Martin Almqvist “The Bear." He's one the best of the current crop of jazz saxophonists there. Critics even make comparisons with Lars Gullin, the legendary reedman who gave Swedish jazz its own, highly distinctive voice. “I would love to be able to say Gullin was my first influence," Almqvist responds ruefully. “But actually, you know, it was Dexter Gordon. He was the first tenor player that really did it for me."

104
Album Review

Karl-Martin Almqvist: Mourning Dove

Read "Mourning Dove" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Having written reviews for a number of years now, I am no longer surprised by the proficiency of musicians from overseas, many of whose names I’d never heard before our introduction via an album. A case in point is Sweden’s Karl–Martin Almqvist, as capable a post–bop tenor saxophonist as you’re likely to hear on either side of the Atlantic. As there are no liner notes, I don’t know if Almqvist picked up the tenor a few months ago or has ...

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Website

Swedish Saxophonist Karl-Martin Almqvist Profiled at AAJ

Swedish Saxophonist Karl-Martin Almqvist Profiled at AAJ

Source: All About Jazz

In his native Sweden they call big, bearded Karl-Martin Almqvist “The Bear." He's one the best of the current crop of jazz saxophonists there.

Critics even make comparisons with Lars Gullin, the legendary reedman who gave Swedish jazz its own, highly distinctive voice. “I would love to be able to say Gullin was my first influence," Almqvist responds ruefully. “But actually, you know, it was Dexter Gordon. He was the first tenor player that really did it for me."

Almqvist ...

"It's been said before but I say it again , Karl-Martin is one Sweden's most lyrical tenor saxophone players. And on Full Circle--he makes no exception from his style. It is a well rounded record where Almqvist shows his incredible ability of the melodic language." --Patrik Boström, NSD

"Almqvist has such a widely versatile artistic expression. There is depth, and he means it; maybe presence is a better word, or conviction. Authenticity‡ is maybe one of the greater qualities, since with Almqvist there is never the question of a technical demonstration of dexterity, instead, always a strong sense of communication within the group." --Ingrid Strömdahl, SvD

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Oleksandr Kolosii
saxophone, tenor

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Horizon

Ubuntu Music
2024

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What If?

Double K Music
2021

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Tenacity

Lost Marble
2020

buy

Stretching the...

Prophone Records
2008

buy

Karl-Martin Almqvist

Prophone Records
2001

buy

Mourning Dove

Prophone Records
2001

buy

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