Jazz Articles about Tolvan Big Band

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Tolvan Big Band: Effortlessly - Music by Helge Albin

by Eyal Hareuveni
October 13, 2013

Swedish saxophonist, composer and arranger Helge Albin has led the Tolvan Big Band since 1979. Albin turned this ambitious, up-to-date big band, located in Malmö in southern Sweden, into a musical institution with an international reputation. They have collaborated with notable American musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Liebman and Michael Brecker, British composer Mike Westbrook and Danish saxophonist Lars Møller; the band even dedicated one of its programs to new arrangements of the John Lennon songbook. ...

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Tolvan Big Band: Tarantula Suite

by Eyal Hareuveni
January 19, 2012

The Tolvan Big Band is one of Scandinavia's most experienced big bands. Located in Malmö, in southern Sweden, this orchestra has been working since 1979 and, under saxophonist/musical director Helge Albin, has collaborated with notable Americans such as Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Liebman and Michael Brecker, British composer Mike Westbrook and Danish saxophonist Lars Møller; the band has even dedicated one of its programs to new arrangements of the John Lennon/Paul McCartney songbook. On Tarantula Suite, reed player ...

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Tolvan Big Band: Code Red

by Edward Blanco
November 25, 2007

From the coastal town of Malmo, Sweden, the eighteen-piece Tolvan Big Band has developed into one of the finest contemporary jazz orchestras in the world. Led by saxophonist and composer Helge Albin since 1979, the band entered Sun Studios in Copenhagen on April 22nd of 2007 and emerged with Code Red, a powerhouse recording of seven original big band arrangements in the finest tradition of the genre.

Leader Albin contributes three compositions, including the muscular opening ...

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Tolvan Big Band: Code Red

by Chris Mosey
October 15, 2007

Sweden must have more jazz big bands per head of population than any other country in the world. Tolvan Big Band, based in the southern port city of Malmö, is the cream of the crop. Tolvan means The Twelve, the number of musicians in the band when it was formed in the late 1960s. It also refers to the 12 centiliters of aquavit each of them would routinely consume on a gig! Arrangements were pretty loose in those days. When ...

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The Tolvan Big Band: A Walk in the Centerpoint

by Jack Bowers
May 1, 2003

When it comes to swinging in a contemporary groove, Sweden’s Tolvan Big Band takes a back seat to no one. This is a killer ensemble, able to stare down the most formidable charts without flinching or even blinking an eye. Regardless of mood or tempo the sense of forward motion is always there, thanks to fastidious unison work by all hands and a strapping rhythm section governed by drummer Lennart “In the Groove” Gruvstedt.

Music director Helge ...

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Tolvan Big Band/Ken Schaphorst Big Band: Tolvan Big Band: Plays the Music of Helge Albin/ Ken Schaphorst Big Band: Purple

by C. Michael Bailey
April 1, 1999

Critics Note. Tolvan Big Band: Plays the Music of Helge Albin and Ken Schaphorst Big Band: Purple were previously reviewed by AAJ 's Big Band aficionado, Jack Bowers in the January and February 1999 issues of All About Jazz, respectively. Additionally, Ken Schaphorst Big Band: Purple was reviewed by Mark Corroto in the March Issue of AAJ.

Large Ensemble Jazz from Naxos. Naxos Jazz began its survey of the state of big band jazz with the release of the UMO ...

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Tolvan Big Band: Plays the Music of Helge Albin

by Jack Bowers
January 1, 1999

While one still hears on occasion that the big bands are dead — and in this country, at least, many are on life support — Sweden, whose population is less than New York City’s, has today roughly 500 active big bands. Although it should be noted that the greater number of them are local amateur groups, the country boasts some world–class ensembles as well, one of which is the well–seasoned and finely tuned Tolvan Big Band from the area around ...