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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 9 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 and 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)
NEW ALBUM!
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.
UPCOMING CONCERTS 2025
Look at ’ concerts ’ for a full list of upcoming and past performances.
8.1 Logomo, Teatro, Turku, Finland.
Duo with bassist extraordinaire Antti Lötjönen. The concert starts 17:00. Free entrance.
The concert is arranged by Jazzcityturku.
https://logomo.fi/ravintolat/teatro
29.1 Christiania Jazz Club, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Niklas Winter & Søren Lee Quartet. Originals mixed with some hot versions of standards.
Niklas Winter & Søren Lee – guitars, Richard Andersson – bass, Mikkel Villingshøj – drums.
The concert starts at 9PM.
https://www.christianiajazzclub.com/
31.1 Sibeliusmuseum, Turku, Finland.
Niklas Winter with danish guitarist extraordinaire Søren Lee.
Originals mixed with some hot versions of standards.
The concert starts at 7PM.
1.2 Vanha123, Porvoo, Finland.
Niklas Winter with danish guitarist extraordinaire Søren Lee. Originals mixed with some hot versions of standards.
Niklas Winter & Søren Lee – guitars, Filemon von Numers – bass, Okko Saastamoinen – drums.
The concert starts at 7PM. Tickets 12/14€ from lippu.fi, or the door 15€.
https://www.lippu.fi/event/niklas-winter-soren-lee-quartet-vanha-123-19669032/
2.2 Tenho Restobar, Sunjazz, Helsinki, Finland.
Niklas Winter with danish guitarist extraordinaire Søren Lee. Originals mixed with some hot versions of standards.
Niklas Winter & Søren Lee – guitars, Filemon von Numers – bass, Okko Saastamoinen – drums.
The concert starts at 7PM.
7.2 Parainen, Finland.
With singer Annica Cleo’s Walking with Ella.
22.3 Öisu Mansion, Estonia.
Originals and jazz standards.
With vibraphonist Panu Savolainen.
26-31.1 USA TOUR
Venues TBA very soon!
With guitarist extraordinarie Mark Scott and friends.
3.4 Jazz Cellar 11, Vilnius, Lithuania.
Niklas Winter Trio with Filemon von Numers – upright bass, Augustas Baronas – drums.
Original music by Winter.
https://www.vilniusjazzclub.lt
4.4 Vanha123, Porvoo, Finland.
Niklas Winter Trio with Filemon von Numers – upright bass, Augustas Baronas – drums.
Original music by Winter.
5.4 Telegrafen, Mariehamn, Åland.
Niklas Winter Trio with Filemon von Numers – upright bass, Augustas Baronas – drums.
Original music by Winter and selected tunes from the American songbook.
https://www.telegrafen.ax/foretag/telegrafens-vinbar/
2.5 M/Darbnica, Riga, Latvia.
With flutist Mark Lotz.
Original music by Lotz and Winter.
3.5 Jazz Valhalla, Liepaja, Latvia.
With flutist Mark Lotz.
Original music by Lotz and Winter.
6.5 St. Henry’s Ecumenical Art Chapel, Turku, Finland.
With flutist Mark Lotz.
Original music by Lotz and Winter.
https://www.taidekappeli.fi/in-english/
news
1/2025
Hello friends!
This year will be full of new exciting music!
In the end of January-early February I’ll do a short tour with Niklas Winter & Søren Lee Quartet in Finland and Denmark. We’ll do exciting original music and I’m looking very much forward to this! You’ll find the dates and name of venues above.
I’ll be playing some gigs in the Baltics between February-May and looking very much forward to that. I’ll do mostly concerts with my trio with Filemon von Numers on bass and Augustas Baronas on drums. I’ll also do duo gigs with German flutist Mark Lotz and a duo concert in Öisu, Estonia with great vibraphonist Panu Savolainen.
In March (26th – 31st) I’ll visit Texas again and do a week of gigs and teaching. The concerts will be with fantastic guitarist Mark Scott. We’ll do both duo and quartet gigs. The venues will be announced very soon.
Beside these activities I’m working hard on a couple of albums trying to get them out to you as soon as possible!
Cheers!
Niklas