NORRBOTTEN BIG BAND

The NBB is a professional band located in Luleå, Sweden in the county of Norrbotten. The band is a touring ensemble and specializes in playing original music which features a crew of great soloists. New arrangements and compositions are written for our guest soloists. The NBB also functions as the Swedish Radio Jazz Group and several of the programs each year are recorded by the National Swedish Radio. Some of the musicians that have guested with us during the past 10 years are Nils Landgren, Esbjörn Svensson Trio, Joe Lovano, Bobo Stenson, Chris Potter, Peter Erskine, Toots Thielemans, Ulf Wakenius, Linda Petersson, Tomasz Stanko, Scott Kinsey, Bob Belden, Kenny Werner, Viktoria Tolstoy, Bobby Shew, Conrad Herwig, Gary Smulyan, Putte Wickman, and Georg Wadenius. Artistic director for the Norrbotten Big Band since 1996 is the American trumpetplayer Tim Hagans. General Manager for the orchestra is Mirka Siwek. .. ABOUT THE NEW CD "WORTH THE WAIT" FEAUTURING PETER ERSKINE: "Worth The Wait" reunites Peter Erskine with trumpeter Tim Hagans. Erskine and Hagans both shared the stage in the early 70’s with the great Stan Kenton and his Orchestra. Hagens is currently the artistic director for the Swedish Norrbotten Big Band. The band’s mission is to perform original music with incredible soloists. On this newest recording they have just that — the great Peter Erskine. After a long absence of performing together in the big band setting, Erskine and Hagens are back together again playing their own music, and with one listen to this incredible recording you will see that it was truly Worth The Wait.“All of the soloists, not just Hagans and Erskine, are terrific and even swagger through the variously styled charts. What is obvious is that everyone, including the audience, is having a good time while playing and listening to some killer music. Smiling is a very easy thing to do, especially while you are moving to the grooves and sounds that the arrangements produce. Anyone who likes the big band sound combined with progressive, never complacent charts will spin Worth The Wait many times.” — All About Jazz"A modern master at the top of his game." - Ken Micallef, Modern Drummer"...one of the best big band outings in recent memory." – downbeat