Kustbandet - the story

Kustbandet started as an New Orleans style amateur group playing at school balls, jazzclubs etc. The main inspiration was the music of Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson and other greats of the Jazz Era.

Kustbandet got its international recognition and started the career in 1973 at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and have since then toured regularly - their scrap book have clippings from Lapland in The North to Sydney in The South, from Tokyo in The East to New Orleans in The West.

Though Kustbandet is deeply rooted in the music of the "roaring 20's", the bands's timeless music is equally appreciated at an informal jazz club in New York as in a banquets in Hong Kong or Yokohama, concerts at festivals in Edinburgh or New Dehli, TV-shows on Nord Deutsche Rundfunk, even Nobel Prize Grand Balls in the City Hall of Stockholm!
In July 1988 the City Of London Festival was opened by The Lord Mayor and Kustbandet.

Kustbandet have also played a part in promoting Sweden and its products abroad. The band's services have been used by The Swedish Arts Council, The Swedish Exports' Council, SAS and export companies like ABB, Ericsson and VOLVO.
They can be heard on over 20 albums. Kustbandet has been guested by some of the surviving heroes of the era - for example Benny Carter and Doc Cheatham. One of Louis Armstrong's last wills in a letter was to play with the band!

©: Photo "Rehersal" by Christer Landergren; "Arne Domnerus / Jens Lindgren" by Olle Lindholm. The photos above are courtesy of their respective owners and may not be reproduced without written consent.