Gunnar Siljabloo Nilson

Gunnar Siljabloo Nilson: Gunnar Siljabloo Nilson

by Chris Mosey
June 23, 2013

Two sounds fought for the musical soul of Gunnar “Siljabloo" Nilson: one, Artie Shaw's smoothly swinging clarinet; the other, Slim Gaillard's crazed, frenetic vocals. When the battle grew too intense and he could stand it no longer, Nilson took to drink. Born in 1925 in the desolate far north of Sweden, young Gunnar fell in love with Shaw's playing on an old 78 rpm record and taught himself clarinet. He never did manage to sound like Shaw. ...