Erik Söderlind
Biography Erik Söderlind
Erik Söderlind
award winning jazz guitar player, was born 1981 and got his first guitar at the age of six. As no one in is familly were musician, he learned to play the guitar listening to great idols such as Eric Clapton and BB King. Erik spent hours trying to imitating the stars and he discovered the joy of improvisation. He was early influenced by Wes Montgomery, George Benson and Grant Green. In 2001 Erik moved to Stockholm where he studied at the Royal College of Music. Since he graduated he has quickly become one of the most sought-after jazz guitarist in Sweden.
In 2007, he received the prestigeous Hagström award. The same year he was nominated for the Guitar People Prize. Today, he is one of the most talented Swedish Jazz guitarists. He uses to perform in Japan, South Africa, France, Italy, Spain, Germany , Dubai, Italy Argentina, Hong Kong and China. In 2008, he started his own band with the brilliant organ player Kjell Öhman. The album "Twist for Jimmy Smith" meet with great success. In 2009, he made a duo album with the guitarplayer Max Schultz called "Dedications". Erik has worked with Magnus Lindgren's band "Batucada Jazz" and toured worldwide together. In 2010, he received the famous Alice Babs Award for his quality of amazing improviser, great talent and flow. He launched his second solo album "Happening" in 2011. One year later, Erik went on a tour with the world class guitarplayer Frank Vignola. In 2013, he launched the album "The Beginners" in collaboration with the saxofonist Andreas Gidlund, an album gathering the best of jazz musicians from Sweden. During 2014 he will work on a new record placing the guitar in the main light again. The studio work won't keep Erik away from the stages. Erik keeps playing live around Sweden as well as a broad.
Erik Söderlind has a very personal sound, both modern but grounded deeply in the jazz tradition of melody, swing, and blues. Erik has played with Jojje Wadenius (former Blood, Sweat & Tears member), Nils Landgren, Viktoria Tolstoy, Peter Asplund, Barbara Hendrix, Till Brönner, Rigmor Gustafsson, among many others. Erik is a master of improvisation, compositor, technical expert and creates his own style. Erik Söderlind has found his own sound, modern but grounded deeply in the jazz tradition of melody, swing, and blues. He is a master of improvisation and composition. Erik Söderlind is an accomplished musician who belongs to the very elite of Swedish Jazz. Known for his unique technique of playing only with his fingers, influenced by classical guitar, he creates a own way to play jazz. Erik Söderlind a sound.
