Putte Wickman

Putte Wickman's grave, Stockholm.

Hans Olof Wickman , called Putte Wickman ( pronunciation : [ ˌpɵtːə ˈvikːman ], born September 10, 1924 in Falun , † February 14, 2006 in Grycksbo ) was a Swedish jazz clarinetist who was also known as Sweden's Benny Goodman .

Live and act

Growing up in Stora Tuna, Borlänge , Wickman taught himself to play the clarinet . After attending grammar school in Stockholm , he began a summer job in Hasse Kahn's orchestra in 1944 . He later founded his own sextet, in which he tastefully mixed Goodman style swing with more modern styles of music . In 1950, a 78 was created for the Sonora label (“Sonora Boogie”). In 1959 he was on tour of America, where he performed at Carnegie Hall , among other places . His combo lasted until the 1960s, then he founded a dance orchestra, eventually working as a freelancer . In 1969 he recorded the album The Sound of Surprise for Dragon with Lars Sjösten , Sture Nordin and Pelle Hulten .

He later worked with Red Mitchell and with John Lewis ( Stockholm '81 , 1981; Slukefter Blues , 1984); in a trio with Roger Kellaway and Red Mitchell, the album Some O 'This and Some O'That was created in 1989 . With Arne Domnérus he recorded the album Happy Together (1995). He has also performed with Stan Getz , Charlie Parker , Lee Konitz , Anita O'Day , Toots Thielemans , Dexter Gordon , Tony Scott , Eje Thelin and Benny Bailey .

Wickman also played in church orchestras with guitarist Göran Fristorp and pianist Jan Lundgren . In 2004 they presented the show A tribute to Putte , with which they celebrated his 80th birthday, together with Povel Ramel , Svante Thuresson , Jan Lundgren and Anders Berglunds Band. In 2005 he performed at the Norrtälje Jazz Festival , where Wickman and Anders Berglunds Band played with singers Björn Skifs and Jill Johnson .

In 1994 he received the Illis Quorum Medal, in 1999 the Jussi Björling Scholarship , he also received the French Django d'Or Prize and was nominated for the Jazzpar Prize . He was a member of the Kungliga Musikaliska Academies .

Wickman had been married to Catrin Westerlund since 1957 , who died in 1982.

In 2007 he was posthumously awarded the Swedish Django d'Or as a legend of jazz .

Web links

• Obituary in The Independent