Dan, why are you doing this?
A really good question! And the answer is - hm...I don't know. Perhaps because I can't live without it? I need to feel that I accomplish something in my life and I am fairly apt for writing music so let's turn the question around: why not? I have been arranging since I was a kid - I remember sitting on a bus on a school trip and feeling bored. I happened to have a music note book in my bag so I took it up and wrote an arrangement for three recorders (that was the only instrument available there and then but actually there were two more except from my own) on Bellman tune and before reaching back to Stockholm it was not only finished, it was also rehearsed. Me and my two fellow recorder players had great fun and even if some others might have been a little disturbed on their sleep, I would dare to say that we shed some light and joy over the entire bus trip. This is what it is all about! Have fun thinking, writing, preparing, rethink, finalize...then have fun rehearsing and playing the result...and with the best of luck there are also listeners who might have had their day made a little brighter!

What about composing?
I would love to call myself a composer. And I have done some composing through the years, sure. But the struggle with the "self-criticism monster" has so far been quite discouraging - most of what I write goes to the waste bin. Either I don't like what I wrote or it is too similar to something I like. Or something else is wrong. But I haven't given up and won't do. However, to write catchy tunes that people can go around crooning and that might end up in a schlager contest...that is certainly not my cup of tea. Simply I don't have the capabilities to do this - and it is not of my interest either. If I should compose, it would probably be more of "art music" like symphonies and concertos or other longer works. And that is something I go around and dream about. A mass for big band, choir and soloists? Or a concertino for saxophone and symphony orchestra? Or a rapsody for clarinet and wind ensemble? Or something else? Time will tell. Something might come out some day when it starts to mature...

What kinds of ensembles do you prefer?
Also a good question. Of course, being a saxophone player and big band leader, the big band format is the most natural for me - right now! It is, as you can se from my charts list, mostly big band charts are my production, and even if I love the "big band" as an ensemble, this is mostly for practical reasons. I have also been a choir singer for essentially my whole life so the choir format feels quite comfortable - generally writing for voice is something that I think I do pretty well but when in doubt I have many close friends who are professional singers to ask. I have actually written a number of choir arrangements during the years but nothing that I feel I want to publish now (except for what is already on this site). Also, there are a number of horn section charts in my library; mostly transcriptions for 3 or 4 horns. Such things I can do on request but it is rare I do it for my own pleasure. For the future I would love to make arrangements for both larger ensembles such as symphony orchestra, string ensembles, wind ensembles, chamber formats...I am open for almost anything if only the music is something that feels exciting...or meaningful...or beautiful...or any combination thereof.

Do you do pure transcriptions (sw: "plankningar")?
Absolutely, I have done a long series of transcriptions and will do more. This is normally very easy and the speed of producing a transcription is dramatically higher than for creating something more personal and new. There are a larger number of transcriptions in my library, however most of them are not really worth making public. Many of the "ad hoc"-type. But I can do it when necessary and on request - even if I honestly prefer the results of the slower and more creative process. For this reason I might also be a litte bit more keen on getting paid since doing transcriptions, with few exceptions, is perhaps not giving so much back to the writer. But don't let this discourage anyone - if you need a transcription please don't hesitate to get in touch with me and we might work something out. I do it fairly quickly and I do it really well, I can guarantee you.

Do you have any preferences when it comes to music styles?
Hm, yes and no but mostly yes. "Yes" in the sence that I am a jazz musician by heart and habit. No question about it, it will be that way until the day I get to eternal rest. My preferences are in modestly modern jazz, meaning certainly not "free jazz" but harmonically complex music as for instance written by Thad Jones, Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter , Pat Metheny, Randy Brecker, Chick Corea, Maria Schneider, Mike Stern, Örjan Fahlström, Thomas Franck, Vince Mendoza, Magnus Lindgren... But I am not only a performing musician, I am also a music consumer. My first preference outside the jazz area is orchestral music such as music written by JS Bach, Piotr Tchaikovskij, Gustav Mahler, Dmitrij Schostakovich. My second would be dramatic opera with the main heroes Richard Wagner and Giacomo Puccini. But I do also listen to more "popular" music such as Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, EWF, Tower of power, Aretha Franklin, Jackson 5 and similar and here is where I think I can contribute to big band transcriptions of mostly vocal arrangements. But I am not negative to doing arrangements of music from today - I do only need someone to ask me for it. I have also done that, but these are charts I do not publish publically for copyright reaons. Challenge me!

Then we have the choir are as mentioned above. I would really love to do more choir arranging, both a capella and with instrumental ensembles. I have a couple of works published at this site, commissioned by great organist, singer and choir conductor Hans-Ove Olsson. But I would really love to do more. I might just need your idea!

So where to go?
Well you tell me. I am curious! :-)

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