Rigmor Gustafsson

With three gold albums and a rich, varied background, Rigmor Gustafsson is unique on the Swedish jazz scene.

She earned her first gold record in 2005 for Close to You, the first jazz artist to have that honor since Monica Zetterlund’s 1991 classic Varsamt.

For her 2007 album, Alone with You, she wrote all the music and most of the lyrics, producing the album herself with bassist Lars Danielsson, and winning a 2008 Swedish Grammy for Best Swedish Jazz Album.

Rigmor’s repertoire expanded further with her collaboration with the Radio String Quartet Vienna. Captured by the rhythms of their music, how they made a string quartet at times sound like percussion instruments, and their frequent use of improvisation, Rigmor joined up with them to create the 2010 album Calling You.

With the world as her stage, Rigmor frequently tours with her own quartet as well as performing as a guest artist in larger constellations. She has appeared on a number of TV shows both in Sweden and internationally and has taken home many prizes through the years, most recently in November 2013 when she was presented with Sweden’s most prestigious jazz award, the Royal Music Academy’s Jazz Prize.

The album When You Make Me Smile will be released autumn 2014, her sixth with the German label ACT. A release concert with Dalasinfoniettan will be held on 10 October at Stadsteaterns Stora Scene, as part of the Stockholm Jazz Festival.