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Concert in Östersund's church Jan 27, 2012 Johannes Landgren, organ, Håkan Lewin, saxophone and Jon-Erik Björänge, drums, proofed to be full blooded professional musicians, who made Ellington's music shine together with the beautiful illumination of the church. One especially memorable moment was the instrumental performance of "Lotus Blossom", where Landgren played on the powerful main organ at the organ loft while the saxophone of Lewin sent lightning from the sanctuary to shine over the entire church. The vocal ensemble "Wermlandsensemblen" conducted by professor Gunno Palmquist showed to be of highest professional quality when they performed the beautiful "Come Sunday" a capella. This was followed by an up tempo version where the female voices dominated. The solo soprano Tina Ternstedt performed a beautiful vocalise. She showed impressive elasticity and unlimited height, performing "T.G.T.T." with the organ. (Review in Östersunds Posten) The introductory and the concluding movements "Praise God" and "Praise God and Dance" felt very safe and clear and the balance was perfect. It was also nice to be able to listen to the choir a capella in the tune "Come Sunday", in this tune the high quality of the ensemble was really exposed! The balance was fine between the voices. The vocal soloist of tonight's concert was Tina Ternstedt, who in a very smooth way performed her solos. Especially in the improvisatory final solo she showed an elegant heighth. The organist Johannes Landgren, the drummer Jon-Erik Björänge and the alto saxophone player Håkan Lewin contributed with a steady and stable accompaniment. The improvised section were particularly impressing and the musicians demonstrated great skilfulness and inventiveness withinthe genre. Above all the performance the "Lotus Blossom" (composed by Duke Ellington's close friend Billy Strayhorn) offered something special where Johannes made use of the Big organ and Håkan tastefully offered a truly magic moment. (Review in Läns- Tidningen) Concert review: The magazine IKON 1931:s music reviewer, Lennart Olausson, listed the concert with Lewin-Landgren-Björänge trio in "Sofiakyrkan", Jönköping, as one of the five best concerts during the year 2011.
"Divine swinging music in the cathedral! This evening Lewin and Landgren really showed what is possible to achieve with organ and saxophone: Divine music." (Nya Åland) "Brilliant! The Sandviken Big Band tours with a concept of new arrangements on music by the legendary Duke Ellington. And it is not any bloke who did the arrangements but prominent figures such as Örjan Fahlström, Leif Halldin and Lars Niska... Saturday night's soloists were Håkan Lewin (alto saxophone) and Johannes Landgren (organ). Håkan was a prominent member of the Sandviken Big Band in the 80's. Two fantastic soloists made the members in the band smile during the duets. In all 15 compositions were presented in various new arrangements. Some old favourites were presented, such as ”Caravan”, ”Things Aint”, ”Satin Doll”, ”Rockin´ In Rhythm” and the real favourite ”Take The A-train”, which made the audience cheere of joy and excitement...
Duke Ellington International Society Bulletin Simply extraordinary beautiful! Hudiksvalls Tidning, Sweden Too good to title!!! Novi List Kroatien Spirituals, in a way which the writer of this coulumn never has heard in this extraordinary way! This recording is definitely a must-have for all organ lovers.And for everybody else this CD is higly recommendable - including some of the most loved and most frequently performed of the great heritage of so called negro sprituals. The sound is excellent... Vejle Amts Folkeblad Denmark The arrangements have been made with an ear to the meaning of the mostly familiar words. Audiophile Audition USA A unique blend of Church organ, Saxophone, and Hammond Organ! Håkan Lewin has arranged some Negro Spirituals for a solo instrument and organ (pipe organ or Hammond). Six of them are published in this score book and can be heard on the CD Freedom - The Vision interpreted by three instruments: a sax, a Hammond organ and a church organ. Three outstanding musicians, Johannes Landgren, Hakan Lewin, and Kjeld Lauritsen prove that even in a more traditional setting Jazz can provide a spiritual punch! Very interesting arrangements of Negro Spirituals combining these three instruments. Sheet music is also available! Christian Jazz Worship - USA Three skilfull musicians from different cultural background play together in a new way, creating a new soundscape. They have already toured around the whole world with their program, on both sides af the Atlantic Sea, and in this CD their personal and devoted music is presented - to great joy for all listeners. Göteborgs-Posten, Sweden A veritable orgie in rhythms, sounds and melodies - sometimes lively and sometimes with profound and moving emotions. Tønsbergs Blad, Norway Lewin/Landgren made a magnificent concert in a crowded "Igreja São Luis dos Franceses". Juventude Musical Portuguesa Lisboa Well-known jazz ballads and negro spirituals in great arrangements. For example the groovy "He´s got the whole world in his hand" with an ostinato in 5/4 bar. Also the "Rainbow reflection", beginning in the style of North german Baroque, with Stylus Phantasticus-excerpts, proceeding in the style of French Symphonic organ music and then in the style of jazz, is impossible not to love. A real hit!!! KMT (Swedish Church Musicians Magazine) The two Swedes were the "highlights" of the festival. Evening Chelyabinsk Russia The tunes, inspired by the jazz tradition, are without any doubt highly convincing. Jazz Special Denmark The powerful organ sounds and Håkan Lewins masterly way of treating the alto saxophone filled the church with beautiful music. Avesta Tidning, Sweden In the beginning of the concert Håkan Lewin expressed his appreciation over the big crowd that attained the concert... The combination Lewin-Ellington is simply just great... Ludvika Nya Tidning, Sweden The concluding tune, "He´s Got the Whole World in His Hands", was performed in a new, fresh, arrangement in 5/4 bar. To me, this was the highlight of the evening. Nya Åland, Finland Already after the first track (Nobody knows the trouble I´ve seen) I am torn right into a musical encounter that I have never experienced before. Two Swedes and one Dane create new sounds, rhythms and harmonies in these well known negro spirituals. I simply enjoy!... Sändaren "Music on the water" on the lake Rådasjön Mölndal Sweden. "the moment of the week", "far out", "unusual", "brilliant" Mölndals Posten The Swedish musicians Johannes Landgren (organ), Håkan Lewin (alto saxophone) and Jon-Erik Björänge (drums) opened up this year's festival with their magnificent interpretation of Duke Ellington's music. With their music the message of love and compassion was communicated to the audience. This year the muscians had brought Patricia Willard from U.S.A. She worked together with Duke Ellington for 25 years. At the festival she lectured and told exciting background stories from the collaboration with Duke. These stories will also be published in Patricia's coming book on Duke Ellington. Patrica Willard expressed her great joy, beeing able to listen to these 'magnificent musicians' and a long line of people, wishing the interpreters welcome back, waited in front of the podium to get the autographs of the musicians. The Evening Chelyabinsk Patricia Willard and Johannes Landgren are checking the concert schedule in Yekaterinburg, Russia, 2005. Patricia Willard, Johannes Landgren and Håkan Lewin were invited to the "Ural Music Conservatory" by the saxophone professor Igor Olegovich , to hold a seminar on Duke Ellington and his music. Around 50 music students and teachers were gathered and showed great interest in Ellington's music. The students and teachers posed many questions, especially directed to Patricia Willard with her 25 years of knowledge from working closely with Duke. The seminar ended with music where the teacher, trombone player and pianist Vitali Vladimirov played a number of Ellington tunes together with Håkan Lewin. The concert on Oct 4, 2005, in the Concert Hall of Yekaterinburg, was completely sold out (800 seats), and was concluded with standing ovations and warm wishes: "welcome back". For the concert in Samara's beautiful concert hall on Oct 6 all seats were, once again, sold out (1000 seats). There was great curiosity among the listeners on how the Swedish duo, playing jazz music on saxophone and organ, would sound. The title of the concert was "From classic to jazz" which also included Landgren's interpretations of some Bach pieces. Accompanied by Patricia's verbal presentations the duo then played Swedish folk music in jazz language, music by Duke Ellington and some heavy blues. The concert was a huge success! Blue Pipes with an amazing groove by Håkan Stenberg, April 6 2006. Blue fumes from a motorbike exhaustpipe is a nobel feat. It indicates that the cyclist goes full on. Perhaps Blue Pipes, with Håkan Lewin, alludes toward the blue as within the blues, I never got the chance to ask. But it was definitely full on at the jazzclub last Tuesday. The highly esteemed musician Lewin, alto saxophone, with roots in Dalarna worked as a jazzmusician and musicteacher in Hudiksvall during the 80s and 90s, opened the concert with a heavy version of Ellington's " Black and Tan Fantasy". How else could it be other than heavy with the Hammond B 3 played by Pierre Swärd and with the digital pipeorgan played by Johannes Landgren as back up? Håkan Lewin has been living in Göteborg since 1996 and he started"The Bluepipes" with Landgren 2-3 years ago. They have toured extensivley and have had great success in such countries as Russian and Croatia. It was the world premier for this quartet in Fagersta last Monday and then they went on to do a gig at the Bollmäs Jazz Club on the Tuesday. At the drums Jon-Erik Björänge worked feverishly at making himself heard above two-TWO-organs, which he did honourbly. From the the organ- section Swärd played most of the solos and he had as much space at that as he clearly deserves. The ballad Krk (by Lewin) belonged to one of the evening's highlights. Thanks for an evening with an amazing groove from all four. Ljusnan, Sweden Radio interview in Krapina during the Croatian tour 2006. The interview was broadcasted in Croatia as well as in numerous South European countries. Croatia July 30th 2006 Concert, for a full audience, in the atrium of the Franciskan monastery in the city of Hvar, Hvar island - one of Croatia's beautiful islands in the Adriatic Sea. Johannes is playing on his digital organ Johannus Opus 10. Together with Jon-Erik Björänge drums and Pierre Swärd Hammond organ. Concert in the heart of Gothenburg - Götaplatsen (the main square) during the celebration of the European Athletics Championships 2006. US-tour 27/4 - 6/5 2007. (Chicago, Eureka, Washington and New York) After the award ceremony Håkan and Johannes played a concert with emotionally very strong music, primarily composed by Duke Ellington. The energetic saxophone of Håkan Lewin, together with the subtle nuances as well as powerful organ sounds of Landgren's organ made the concert hall (the old stable) shake and tremble. The final composition, Lotus blossom, moved the audience to tears. It was really tremendously beautiful. Sundsvalls Tidning, Sweden |
