Mats Gustafsson – saxophones and live-electronics
Per-Åke Holmlander – tuba, cimbasso
Jason Adasiewicz – vibraphone
dieb13 – turntables and electronics
Erik Carlsson – drums

Swedish azz was started in 2009 by Mats Gustafsson and Per Åke Holmlander. The group consists of five European improvisers loving, respecting, and playing the Swedish jazz masterpieces from the 50´s and 60´s.

The Golden Age of Swedish jazz happened in the mid 50´s, as we were told, and was represented by some very distinct and personal voices that were all taking their main inspiration from the American West Coast Jazz, but transforming it into a Swedish colour and language, also including elements of traditional Swedish Folk Music. Lars Gullin, Jan Johansson, Bernt Rosengren, Georg Riedel, Lars Werner, Berndt Egerbladh and later Per Henrik Wallin were all part of this movement.

Swedish Azz wants to explore the possibilities to use these wonderful and strongly lyrical melodies and put them in a contemporary structure and soundscape. They want to find out, or at least try out, what happens when you put these melodic lines in connection with live electronics, a.o., and experimentation in form, using the freedom of improvisation.