Nils Landgren
With his smoking, hard-hitting "Funk Unit", the man with the Red Horn has b… Read Full Bio ↴With his smoking, hard-hitting "Funk Unit", the man with the Red Horn has been responsible for a bunch of successful CDs over the past years. His concerts from Stockholm to Beijing have been met with ecstatic acclamation. In duo with pianist Esbjörn Svensson, he has elevated Swedish folk music to the level of subdued works of art. As the artistic director of the 2001 Berlin Jazz Festival, designed a state of the art presentation of Scandinavian trends and moods. In May 2002 Nils was honored with the "Tore Ehrling prize" by the Swedish Society Of Popular Composers for "His outstanding contribution to spread swedish jazz music around the globe".
He is a world-class soloist and artist with heart and soul: Nils Landgren.
Jazz and church music shaped his childhood. As cornetist, Nils Landgren's father brought US jazz into the house. The traditional Swedish chorales and songs came from his grandfather, who was a preacher. Nils Landgren was born in 1956. He began playing drums at the age of six. At 13 he layed his hands and lips on the trombone and was hooked for life.
Between 1972 and 1978 Nils studied classical trombone at the music college in Karlstad with David Maytan and at the university in Arvika with Ingemar Roos. During this time he also met the legendary Swedish Folk-Jazz pioneer Bengt-Arne Wallin and the fantastic tromboneplayer and proffessor of the Graz Conservatory in Austria, Eje Thelin. These two men completely changed the way for Nils to go; from a strict classical player to an improviser with his own idea of what to play and why. After his graduation Nils moved to Stockholm to work as a professional tromboneplayer. First the life of a struggling jazz musician, making no money but gaining loads of experience. Then the call that totally changed his life: an offer to go on tour with Sweden's most successful pop star of that time Björn Skifs who at that time was at #1 in the US pop charts with "Hooked on a feeling". The money was ok, the vibes were cool and the band was simply great! Ever since that time Nils Landgren has been involved in a variety of music styles and projects. These include jazz, rock, soul, hip hop, big band’s, studio sessions, and by his own reckoning, at least 500 albums. Mostly, for natural reasons with Swedish artists but also with such internationals stars as ABBA, The Crusaders, Eddie Harris, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie and Herbie Hancock. Nils even plays on the first Wyclef Jean solo album, titled "Carnival".
In 1981 Thad Jones invited the Swede into his new Bigband project "Ball of Fire", to take the lead-trombone chair. The band was built up around such great musicians as Jerome Richardson, Jerry Dodgion, Tim Hagans, Bobby Burgess, Roger Kellaway, Sahib Shihab, Dusko Goykovich, and Benny. "A fantastic band, sad that it did not work out in the end", Nils says about that expreience. Two years later Nils debut album "Planet Rock" was released, followed by "Streetfighter" in 1984, "You are my Nr 1" in 1985, "Miles from Duke" with Bengt-Arne Wallin in 1987, "Chapter Two 1", in 1987, "Chapter Two 2" and "Follow your heart" in 1989. Between 1985 and 1987 Nils also performed as actor, singer, trombonist, and dancer in over 360 performances of the Swedish "play of the year", SKAEL, as well as appearing in several TV-films as an actor.
1992 saw the first performances and recording of the Nils Landgren Unit; the recording was called "Red Horn", and was mixed by the legendary sound engineer Bruce Swedien. (re-release 2001 as "The First Unit", ACT 9292-2). That same summer the band performed at the "Playboy Jazzfestival" in Los Angeles, hosted by the great Bill Cosby. The final breakthrough outside of Scandinavia came first in 1994: it was at the Jazz Baltica Festival in Germany that the "Unit" became the "Funk Unit". The album "Live in Stockholm" (ACT 9223-2) with guest star Maceo Parker was released that year and was the foundation for the collaboration with Siegfried Loch and his young ACT label.
He is a world-class soloist and artist with heart and soul: Nils Landgren.
Jazz and church music shaped his childhood. As cornetist, Nils Landgren's father brought US jazz into the house. The traditional Swedish chorales and songs came from his grandfather, who was a preacher. Nils Landgren was born in 1956. He began playing drums at the age of six. At 13 he layed his hands and lips on the trombone and was hooked for life.
Between 1972 and 1978 Nils studied classical trombone at the music college in Karlstad with David Maytan and at the university in Arvika with Ingemar Roos. During this time he also met the legendary Swedish Folk-Jazz pioneer Bengt-Arne Wallin and the fantastic tromboneplayer and proffessor of the Graz Conservatory in Austria, Eje Thelin. These two men completely changed the way for Nils to go; from a strict classical player to an improviser with his own idea of what to play and why. After his graduation Nils moved to Stockholm to work as a professional tromboneplayer. First the life of a struggling jazz musician, making no money but gaining loads of experience. Then the call that totally changed his life: an offer to go on tour with Sweden's most successful pop star of that time Björn Skifs who at that time was at #1 in the US pop charts with "Hooked on a feeling". The money was ok, the vibes were cool and the band was simply great! Ever since that time Nils Landgren has been involved in a variety of music styles and projects. These include jazz, rock, soul, hip hop, big band’s, studio sessions, and by his own reckoning, at least 500 albums. Mostly, for natural reasons with Swedish artists but also with such internationals stars as ABBA, The Crusaders, Eddie Harris, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie and Herbie Hancock. Nils even plays on the first Wyclef Jean solo album, titled "Carnival".
In 1981 Thad Jones invited the Swede into his new Bigband project "Ball of Fire", to take the lead-trombone chair. The band was built up around such great musicians as Jerome Richardson, Jerry Dodgion, Tim Hagans, Bobby Burgess, Roger Kellaway, Sahib Shihab, Dusko Goykovich, and Benny. "A fantastic band, sad that it did not work out in the end", Nils says about that expreience. Two years later Nils debut album "Planet Rock" was released, followed by "Streetfighter" in 1984, "You are my Nr 1" in 1985, "Miles from Duke" with Bengt-Arne Wallin in 1987, "Chapter Two 1", in 1987, "Chapter Two 2" and "Follow your heart" in 1989. Between 1985 and 1987 Nils also performed as actor, singer, trombonist, and dancer in over 360 performances of the Swedish "play of the year", SKAEL, as well as appearing in several TV-films as an actor.
1992 saw the first performances and recording of the Nils Landgren Unit; the recording was called "Red Horn", and was mixed by the legendary sound engineer Bruce Swedien. (re-release 2001 as "The First Unit", ACT 9292-2). That same summer the band performed at the "Playboy Jazzfestival" in Los Angeles, hosted by the great Bill Cosby. The final breakthrough outside of Scandinavia came first in 1994: it was at the Jazz Baltica Festival in Germany that the "Unit" became the "Funk Unit". The album "Live in Stockholm" (ACT 9223-2) with guest star Maceo Parker was released that year and was the foundation for the collaboration with Siegfried Loch and his young ACT label.
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Nils Landgren Lyrics
Ain't Nobody Ain´t nobody Ain't nobody messin with my baby Ain´t nobody …
Angels of Fortune Angels of fortune stay by my side It will live and…
Be There for You It's the way that you know me, it's the way…
Broken Wings Baby I don't understand Why we can't just hold on to…
Christmas is here Now is the time We´ve all been awaiting A light in the…
Come As You Are Don't go changing to try and please me You never let…
Dancing Queen You can dance You can jive Having the time of your life See…
Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight Do me wrong, do me right. Tell me lies but…
Everyday Is Christmas Now is the time We´ve all been awaiting A light in the…
Everything Must Change Everything Must Change Everything must change Nothing stays…
Fragile If blood will flow when flesh and steel are one Drying…
Get Here You can reach me by railway You can reach me by…
Ghost In This House I don't pick up the mail I don't pick up the…
Gimme Gimme Gimme Half past twelve And I'm watching the late show in my…
Green fields Once there were green fields kissed by the sun Once there…
I Will Survive At first I was afraid, I was petrified I kept thinking…
I'd Like You for Christmas I'd like you for Christmas Please make my wish come true 'Ca…
Jul Jul Stralande Jul Jul jul strålande jul glans över vita skogar Himmelens krono…
Killing Me Softly Strumming my pain with his fingers, Singing my life with hi…
Knowing Me Knowing You No more carefree laughter Silence ever after Walking through…
Knowing You Knowing Me No more carefree laughter Silence ever after Walking throu…
Last Christmas Last Christmas, I gave you my heart But the very next…
Little Drummer Boy / Peace On Earth Come they told me pa-rum-pum-pum-pum A newborn king to see p…
Love Of My Life You don't love me no more Get out my life woman You…
Maybe I'm amazed Maybe I'm amazed at the way you love me all…
Maybe This Christmas Maybe this Christmas will mean something more Maybe this yea…
money money money I work all night, I work all day, to pay…
Name of the game I've seen you twice, in a short time Only a week…
När Juldagsmorgon Glimmar När juldagsmorgon glimmar Jag vill till stallet gå Där Gud i…
Oh You Crazy Moon When they met, the way they smiled, I saw that…
Peace On Earth Come they told me pa-rum-pum-pum-pum A newborn king to see p…
Shadows in the Rain Woke up in my clothes again this morning I don't know…
Simple Life Okiki Life so simple Life so simple Know how to take things …
Sos Where are those happy days they seem to hard to…
Summer Night Waiting for the sunrise Soul dancing in the dark Summer ni…
Super Trouper Super Trouper beams are gonna blind me But I won't feel…
Take A Chance on Me If you change your mind, I'm the first in line Honey…
Thank You for the Music I'm nothing special, in fact I'm a bit of a…
The Moon The Stars And You When a star is born They possess a gift or two One…
The Moon, the Stars and You Life with you is wonderful I wish it never ends It feels…
This Masquerade Are we really happy here With this lonely game we play Looki…
We Don't Need Another Hero Out of the ruins Out from the reckage Can't make the same…
When You Wish Upon A Star When a star is born They possess a gift or two One…
Wie soll ich dich empfangen Wie soll ich dich empfangen und wie begeg ich dir,…
You've Got A Friend When you're down and troubled And you need some love and…