Jonas Kullhammar has passed over the Swedish jazz scene like a proverbial whirlwind. Five years ago or so he released his debut recording, the self-produced Salut. It won him Sweden Radio’s Jazz Cat as the newcomer of the year. He followed up his success with The Soul of Jonas Kullhammar, even this CD produced and distributed by himself. Jonas third cd Plays Loud For The People received excellent reviews and got a nomination for the Swedish Grammy Award. He also received the Django D’or award and received the price Sweden Radio’s Jazz Cat as Jazz Musician of The Year in Sweden two years in a row. The group also received the award for jazz group of the year. Now 2005 the groups fourth cd is released. Snake City North is the title and it is a collaboration with Norrbotten Big Band. All disks reveal a young, amazingly energetic saxophone player already a complete musician and composer. For comparisons you have to go to Sonny Rollins, one of the giants of jazz. Jonas prefers the same very rhythmically flowing and dense spirit. The Jonas Kullhammar Quartet also includes pianist Torbjörn Gulz, bass player Torbjörn Zetterberg and drummer Jonas Holgersson a quartet we’ll hear much of in the future.
Born: 2/9 1978
Family:wife Stina + daughters Thea and Iris
Lives in: Östra Orminge (Snake City East)
Member of:
Jonas Kullhammar Quartet, Torbjörn Zetterberg Hot 5, Hector Bingert Latin Lover Big Band,
Nacka Forum, Moserobie Collective, Kullrusk, Jobalites, Sonik Mechatronik Arkestra,
Magnus Lindgren’s Paradise Open, Jansson/Kullhammar/Nilssen-Love, Fredriksson, Kullhammar & Zetterberg,
Andratx (Kullhammar, Vågan, Osgood),a.o.
Has worked with:
Fredrik Norén Band (may1998-jan2002), Benny Bailey, Blacknuss Allstars, Peanuts Hucko, Claes Janson, Shagma, The Core, Motif,
Bo Kaspers Orkester, The (International) Noise Conspiracy, Swedish Radiojazz group(2001-2002), Eldkvarn,Nicolai Dunger, The Perishers,
Christian Falk, Rock-Boris, Ron Blake, Fläskkvartetten, Jupiter, Svante Thuresson, The Lost Patrol, Vega, Dynamo Chapel,
Kirk Lightsey, Rick Rubin, Deportees, Per Henrik Wallin, Daniel Lemma, Carlos Garnett, Marcus Strickland a.o.
Nominations and awards:
Django d’Or award 2004 (Contemporary star of jazz)
Stallbröderna award
Arne Domnérus Guldsaxen Award 2006
Svenska Jazzriksförbundets “Kjell-Ake Svensson” Award
Sigma award, co:Ellington society
Sandrew “Tore Browaldh” award
Nominated for a Swedish grammy 2002 with Nacka Forum
Nominated for a Swedish grammy 2003 with JKQ for Plays Loud for The People
Nominated for a Swedish grammy 2004 with Kullrusk
Nominated for a Swedish grammy 2005 with JKQ & NBB - Snake City North
Nominated for a Swedish grammy 2006 with JKQ - Son of a Drummer
Nominated for a Manifest Award 2006 with JKQ - Son of a Drummer
Aftonbladets “Jazz musician of the year” 2001
Swedish jazz critics “Jazzkatten” awards for:
Newcomer of the year 2000
Jazz Artist of The Year 2002
Jazz Artist of The Year 2003
Jazz Group Of The Year 2002 (Jonas Kullhammar Quartet)
Studies:
Attended Södra Latins Musiklinje
One year at the Royal Music Academy in Stockholm