TOBIAS WIKLUND
INNER FLIGHT MUSIC (2LP)

After living in Denmark and collaborating with Danes for years, one could call Tobias Wiklund more than a little Danish. Still, he has always been a Swede, remaining true to his northern Scandinavian roots of nature and nurture and having recently returned to his homeland of Sweden. And while Wiklund is a celebrated trumpet player, he chooses to explore his original music on cornet. As an artist, he stands out as a fabulous instrumentalist and an innovative composer. The multi-talented Swede has participated in musical projects covering many genres over the years, and his own music is always focused, generous, and compelling.

Tobias Wiklund (b.1986) has always stood out among his generation of brass players who gravitated towards the cornet over the trumpet when given the opportunity. The cornet has a softer and darker sound than its more blaring and tart cousin. Like others of his ilk, Wiklund enjoys revisiting the instrument's history - often rediscovering forgotten or overlooked examples of “good old jazz.” This unique approach allows him to contribute to contemporary creativity while exploring the genre’s roots and celebrating hidden facets. While many consider the history of jazz to be a series of rebellions against tradition, Wiklund proves that it doesn’t always have to be this way. He manages to acknowledge the history of jazz while exploring new musical avenues.

Tobias’s new album, Inner Flight Music, celebrates this connection. The ten original songs explore the human relationship with the universe through concrete compositions and more abstract forms of improvisation. Wiklund uses music as a bridge between the earthly and the divine, exploring the medium’s ability to give form to deep emotion and longing and remind us that we are part of something greater—perhaps even something sacred.

Inner Flight Music is an ambitious project consisting of ten original works ranging from intimate duos to collaborations with the prestigious Swedish wind orchestra Blåsarsymfonikerna, which has over 100 years of tradition in wind and percussion music. Wiklund has expanded his repertoire as a composer in the larger format. Several talented musicians from different genres also contribute to the album, and Wiklund's straightforward compositional approach brings it together into a strong, coherent musical statement of identity.

Tobias Wiklund - cornet; Hanna Paulsberg - tenor saxophone; Nils Berg - bass clarinet; Jon Falt - drums; Kansan Zetterberg - bass; Johan Graden - piano; Jonas Lindeborg - cornet, plus The Swedish Wind Orchestra.