Salon 10 proudly presents the Niklas Winter & Ted Lo Quartet. A rare collaboration between two jazz masters. don't miss it!
Niklas Winter is a Finnish jazz guitarist and composer born in Turku in 1969. He has released nine to ten albums as a bandleader and many more as a co-leader and sideman. Winter studied classical guitar at Turku Conservatory and jazz at Berklee College of Music. He is known for his collaborations with prominent artists and his active role in the Nordic jazz scene. He leads groups such as the Niklas Winter Quartet and Winter's Jazz Workshop and also combines jazz with choral music in projects like Graduale. Winter has performed widely in Europe and Asia, composed for television, and taught music extensively. He founded the Abovoice jazz label, which earned a Finnish Jazz Grammy. His recent work includes the 2023 album Graduale, inspired by medieval Finnish church music.
Niklas Winter's musical style blends jazz guitar with Nordic and classical influences, reflecting his roots in both classical guitar training and jazz education. His work often incorporates melodic and harmonic elements from Finnish folk music and medieval church music, as seen in his album “Graduale,” which adapts melodies from the ancient Graduale Aboense hymnbook. Winter's sound is characterized by lyrical improvisation, subtle interplay, and a fusion of traditional and contemporary jazz forms. His collaborations with diverse instrumentalists and vocal ensembles highlight his interest in expanding jazz beyond typical boundaries, integrating chamber and choral music elements. His inspirations include both jazz legends like Kenny Wheeler and Lars Jansson and Nordic folk and classical repertoires, creating a unique and evocative jazz style grounded in regional culture yet open to international jazz idioms.