Magnus Lindgren

Magnus Lindgren (born in Västerås 1974) is a Swedish jazz musician. He studied at the Västerås Music College. He then attended the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in Stockholm, Sweden, and began working with the Soul Enterprise. He began playing with Herbie Hancock at age 18, and formed his current quartet in 1997. Among others, he has also worked with James Ingram, Koop, Bob Mintzer, Steve Slagle, Jim McNeely, Barbara Hendricks, Jojje Wadenius, Blacknuss, Andreas Hedlund and Lisa Ekdahl. In 2001, Magnus was voted best Swedish jazz artist of the year by Fasching. Magnus Lindgren has received numerous honors, including a Swedish Grammis, the Gyllene Skiva, the Gevalia Award and the Arne Domnérus Prize.

Although known mainly playing the saxophone and flute, Magnus is a multi-instrumentalist, a skilled composer and arranger. Magnus was commissioned to write music for the Nobel Banquet in 2003.

Magnus album Batucada Jazz was released in spring 2009. It features Kiko Continentino on piano, Leonardo Amuendo on guitar, Armando Marcal and Pirulito on percussion with a guest spot by Nils Landgren. This selection is inspired by the samba orchestras that rehearse all year to appear at carnival time. Batucada Jazz was nominated for a Swedish Grammis.

Magnus has had considerable collaboration over the years with Nils Landgren. During the spring of 2012 the two performed nine concerts together with Bohuslän Big Band and Wermland Operas Orchestra in the project “Folk Notes, Tunes and Jazz”, for which Magnus arranged the music, conducted both orchestras, and performed as a soloist. The project’s success was perhaps best captured by Sweden’s Orchestra Journal, who reviewed the concerts with the words, “Sweden’s answer to Quincy Jones”. Magnus has arranged music to the Berliner Philharmoniker and their celebration of the Chamber Music Hall, in October 2012.

Magnus Lindgrens' new album Fyra was released in September 2012.

Biography
Magnus Lindgren was born in 1974 in Västerås, Sweden, and started to play guitar and sing in 1982. He began playing the saxophone at age 13, in 1987. The next year, he began to play as a substitute in his father's band, on the saxophone, drums, guitar and bass. When he was 17, he entered the royal music university.

As a young musician, Lindgren worked with several prominent jazz musicians, including beginning to perform with Herbie Hancock in 1993; he joined the Stockholm Jazz Orchestra in 1995, where he played with Bob Mintzer, Maria Schneider, and Jim Mcneely. He started a jazz septet of his own in 1994, and his quartet in 1997.

As he developed his career, he expanded his sphere of influence beyond Sweden. He played at Carnegie Hall in New York City in 2000. He also began a collaboration with opera singer Barbara Hendricks in 2002, and worked with James Ingram in Los Angeles in 2004. He performed at the Montreux jazz festival with his quartet in 2006. In 2009, he traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, to record with Brazilian musicians, and later performed with Brazilian composer and singer Ivan Lins.

Lindgren has received numerous music awards and recognitions, including the "Jazz In Sweden" award in 1999, a Grammy nomination in 2000, and a Grammy win in 2001 for his big band album "Paradise Open." That year, he also won the "Golden Disc" for best jazz album of the year, and the Swedish Radio poll for best jazz album of the year. In 2003, he was chosen to compose music for and perform at the Nobel Prize Banquet. He continued to work with notable musicians, including Nils Landgren and Quincy Jones.

Lindgren and his band, "Batucada Jazz," toured the world in 2010, and in 2012 he released his latest album, Fyra.

Albums

 * 2012: Fyra
 * 2009: Batucada Jazz
 * 2007: Brasil Big Bom
 * 2005: Music for the Neighbours
 * 2003: The Game
 * 2001: Paradise Open
 * 2000: Getxo Jazz
 * 1999: Way Out