About Gunnel
Gunnel Mauritzson is considered as one of the foremost folksingers in Sweden. She works with for example Sund&Sand and the band with her own name - Gunnel Mauritzson Band and also in other projects and as soloist in jazz orchestras, church masses, musical theater and big band concerts. Gunnel is also a composer of new songs and tunes, often build upon the style of traditional folk music. She is a singer who brings in new elements and the music moves across the genres. Her song conveys a feeling that is both strong and subtl.
Gunnel has her musical roots in the folkmusic from the beautiful Baltic island of Gotland and she was former a member of the bands Nåra and Gunnfjauns kapell. About 30 years ago she started her first soloproject that resulted in the CD "Silhuette" (1996) with music by the late Swedish jazzmusician Lars Gullin. This, and the three following solo CD:s, has been favourably reviewed and are released in Sweden, but also on license in Germany on the label Laika Records.
Gunnel is also a popular teacher in Swedish folksong and vocal technics and works part time at The Royal College of Music in Stockholm. For those who are interrested in horses she has started exciting business together with horse instructors, with the combination horses and singing.
The band Sund och Sand:
About
Gunnel Mauritzson Band (GMB)
GMB makes
new, exiting interpretation of music deeply rooted in Swedish folk tradition,
performed with lightness, brilliance and love for the free spirit of
improvisation. Together with brilliant musicians Gunnel presents new and
old Swedish songs. Some of the music is written by herself and some songs are
traditional folksongs. They can vary the constellation from duo to quintet
and perform in different contexts, from churches to festivals and concert
halls. They also do workshops and collaborative projects with
guest artists and choirs, and have also music arranged for the band
and small symphony orchestra.
GMB
members:
Bengan
Jonasson - bass guitar
and banjo - is the world's first bass guitar player educated in swedish
folk music at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. With an innovative and
personal style he moves freely from grooves to melody playing on both bass
guitar and banjo.
Christian
Jormin - percussion
and piano - lives on the island of Brännö in the saltwashed
Archipelago near Gothenburg. He is a very expressive musician who plays
percussion with other folk-bands, including ”Den fule” and piano with his own
jazz-trio.
Jonas
Knutsson
- saxophones - Jonas Knutsson is the jazz saxophonist from Umeå
who fell in love with swedish polska-tunes played on violin, and who in more
recent times has created a way of playing his saxophones that contains
quarter-tones and rythm from folkmusic as well as the free spirit of
improvisation from jazz.He also plays with f ex guitarist Johan Norberg.
Leif
Ottosson - with roots from Oviken Jämtland, is an
appreciated muscian in diverse contexts and an equilibrist on his instrument -
the accordion - both with traditional tunes and newly written compositions in
his repertoire.
Listen: GMB on Myspace Press reviews for the latest CD: Gunnel Mauritzson Band "Whatever happens" Label: Laika records; 3510244.2; 2008 One of the nicest albums of 2003 was Raisu äut by the, for me unknown at that time, Swedish singer Gunnel Mauritzson. Between the last and the new solo album she has recorded two other projects including with the band Om. On Whatever happens Mauritzson works with a totally different band than six years ago. A combination of traditional Swedish instruments such as the nyckelharpa and instruments such as the saxophone, organ, piano and accordion, colour the sound of this album. The thirteen tracks are a combination of traditional pieces and new compositions. Mauritzson choose the jazz-folk approach that I find typically Swedish. She found more rest in her singing and composing, it’s like she found a better balance in composing and performing. Nice is Om dagen vid mit arbete which is such a delicate song, where the band and singer find the perfect symbioses. But also in the more light-footed tracks like Full gas and Brev polska they show to be a real ensemble instead of a singer with band. It’s clear that they made this album together and lift each other to a higher level. It was worth the years of waiting, Mauritzson returns with a strong new album. Eelco Schilder, Folk world Mundekulla Folk- & Jazzdagar New festival between forest, meadows and red cottages at the wonderful "Mundekulla" outside Emmaboda. Gunnel is a co-producer of the festival together with Peter Elmberg, Mundekulla. Gunnel performs as well and 2016 she did the opening concert together with Jan Allan - trumpet, Daniel Svensson - guitar and Georg Riedel - double bass! The entire festival has the subtitle "In the spirit of Lars Gullin" so the weekend is influenced with folk, jazz, improvisation, inspiration from the nature and music at the highest national level. There has been many great artists, as f ex teachers from Blekinge Jazz &World, Lars Jansson, Isabella Lundgren with Carl Bagge trio, Viktoria Tolstoy, Svante Thuresson, Elin Teilus, Lamine Cissoko. In cooperation with, among others Emmaboda Live Jazz. Check out this: Mundekulla Folk&Jazzdagar |
