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Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@abovoice/videos
Spotify artist page: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7z8P55fksPikrpZlDkmqdo?si=0YRIpPs1SumtQ6SX4zrBSQ
Record label: https://www.abovoice.com
Jazz Guitar Today (USA) interview with Niklas 12/2023:
https://jazzguitartoday.com/2023/12/jazz-guitar-in-finland-and-beyond/
ABOUT
Niklas Winter is a Finnish jazz guitarist and composer. Winter has made 10 records as a leader and has been active as a sideman in several bands. He tours frequently the world making around 50 concerts per year in the Nordic countries and in Europe, Asia and the US.
During the years Winter has performed with; Kenny Wheeler, Henry Lowther, Ulf Wakenius, Jesse van Ruller, John Stowell, Kirite Kanawa, Cameron Brown, Ted Curson, Lars Jansson, Jukkis Uotila, Teemu Viinikainen, Karl-Martin Almqvist, Fumio Yasuda, Ino Nobuyoshi, Jani Moder, Morten Lund, Emil Hess, Jesper Bodilsen, Severi Pyysalo, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra and with many more.
Winter’s passion is writing and performing original music.
”The result is an entirely successful run of fourteen very different tracks that hang together to provide an overall aesthetic that is both meditative and swinging.” Phil Johnson on the Graduale album, London Jazz News, 2023 (UK)
Nyt on vanha kunnon albumikokonaisuuden idea on kunniassaan. Toki minkä tahansa kappaleen voi halutessaan irrottaa erilliskuunteluun, mutta parempi ratkaisu on kunnioittaa huolella laadittua kokonaisuutta, kuunnella musiikki juuri niin kuin on tarkoitettu, pienistä osasista yhtenäiseksi kasvavana taideteoksena. Pentti Ronkanen / Suomijazz 11/2023 (Finland)
Det gjør vi like godt med et høyst unikt musikalsk konsept der Winter fusjonerer sin egen musikk for jazzkvartett og solo med finsk middelalder-kormusikk. Spesielt? Definitivt. Vakkert? Avgjort.
Tor Hammerö on the Graduale album / Nettavisen 2023 (Norway)
Winter has a fresh, modern sound. This is original and very exciting music and Niklas Winter Quartet has surely been a great experience at many festivals. Tor Hammerø /Jazznyt (Norway)
‘Missä hyvänsä Niklas Winter soittaa, hänen herkästi kaipailevan kitaransa tunnistaa. Winter tuntuu etsivän käsitteiksi taipumatonta, jotain vielä ja ehkä pysyvästi näkymätöntä. Soundi on ollut samanlainen vuosia. Kari Salminen / Turun Sanomat (2.9.2022)
Niklas Winter’s poetic playing shows great knowledge of improvisational skills. Jörgen Östberg /Orkester Journalen (Sweden)
” In Winter’s playing listener can hear plainness and intelligence. Winter’s improvisations and harmonies look back to the history of jazz but also expresses the atmosphere of today.”Hiroki Sugita/Jazz Life (Japan)
Trust in fact, was key, as was a fundamental sense of good time. Without a drummer or a bassist, and with the two guitarists sometimes dissolving into spare sections where time was, at best, suggested, it became even more essential that the two could internalize that time and know where it was, without it being explicitly there. It’s in the context of the duo that an artist is at his/her most exposed; not only are their abilities, instincts and improvisational élan laid bare, but their communication skills—or lack thereof—are impossible to disguise. Viinikainen and Winter needn’t have worried, as it was clear, from their Tampere Jazz Happening performance, that this was a duo communicating at a very deep level, playing relatively quiet music that was, nevertheless, thoroughly captivating.
JOHN
KELMAN / ALL ABOUT JAZZ (USA)
Niklas Winter GRADUALE
The album consists of Winter original compositions combined with his arrangements of the oldest written music in Finland.
Henry Lowther – trumpet and fluegelhorn, Niklas Winter – guitar, Severi Pyysalo – vibraphone, Juho Laitinen – cello, Utopia Chamber Choir.
”The result is an entirely successful run of fourteen very different tracks that hang together to provide an overall aesthetic that is both meditative and swinging.” Phil Johnson on the Graduale album, London Jazz News, 2023 (UK)
The link below takes you to the Finnish record label Abovoice. Buy this album and albums of many other Finnish jazz musicians on this site.
CONCERTS 2025
Look at ’ concerts ’ from the menu for a full list of upcoming and past performances.
4.11 Taidekappeli, Turku, Finland.
Solo guitar concert. Winter originals, hymns & improvisations.
Concert starts at 19:00. Tickets on door 10/15€ payment by cash or card.. Tickets can also be bought starting 3 weeks before from www.lippu.fi to a reduced price.
11.11 Raisio Church, Raisio, Finland.
Duo concert with phenomenal Antti Lötjönen on upright bass. Versions of John Dowland’s music and much more! The concert starts at 19:00. Tickets on door 5/10€.
14.11 Fountain de Chopin, Hong Kong.
Niklas Winter Quartet with Ted Lo on piano. Winter originals and tunes from the American song book.
https://www.fountaindechopin.com
21.11 The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.
Solo electric guitar concert.
The repertoire consists of Winter’s arrangements of the oldest written music in Finland, the Graduale Aboense. During the concert music will also be performed with students from the school alongside with Winter.
22.11 Coda Jazz Kissa, Hong Kong.
Niklas Winter – guitar, Ted Lo – piano. Jazz standards and Winter originals in the spirit of Jim Hall & Bill Evans.
news
10/2025
Hello friends!
The autumn is here and the weather is getting cooler here in Finland. I just got back from a two months stay in Benin, Africa. It was fantastic! Beautiful place and beautiful music and people. I learned a lot and you’ll hear the influences later in my music!
In October and early November I work mostly on my new music and recordings.
In early November I’ll do a solo guitar concert in Turku at the beautiful Art Chapel and a duo concert at the Raisio church with the phenomenal Antti Lötjönen on upright bass. We’ll do our versions of John Dowland’s music and much more.
In mid November I’ll travel to China, Shenzhen and Hong Kong to play in jazz clubs and to do a solo guitar concert plus workshops at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen. Looking very much forward to this. I visited China for the first time back in 1994..
Have a great autumn!
Niklas