
Nils Landgren, trombone and vocals
Nils Landgren is a Swedish R&B, funk, and jazz trombonist and singer known as "The Man with the Red Horn" because he plays a red trombone. His 70th birthday is coming up on February 15, 2026, and he is one of the most successful European jazz musicians of the last few decades. He is not only a trombonist and singer, but also a festival director, mentor, producer, and bridge builder, and has been honored with the Federal Cross of Merit, the Sir George Martin Music Award, and the Litteris et Artibus Medal.
Since 1992, Landgren has led the Nils Landgren Unit, which later developed into the Nils Landgren Funk Unit and achieved its breakthrough in 1994 at the Jazz Baltica Festival in Salzau, Germany. To date, 40 albums by Nils Landgren as bandleader have been released on the ACT label. His "Christmas with My Friends" series, which started in 2006, quickly became one of the most popular and successful Christmas albums in European jazz and appears every two years with regular tours.
Lineup:
Nils Landgren (trombone, vocals)
Joel Lyssarides (piano)
Lars Danielsson (bass)
Robert Ikiz (drums)
German State Philharmonic Orchestra Rhineland-Palatinate, conducted by Clark Rundell
On the occasion of his milestone birthday, Nils Landgren is fulfilling an absolute heartfelt wish and creating a concert evening together with a large-scale classical orchestra. Composer Vince Mendoza has arranged the best songs from the career of the Swedish trombonist, composer, producer, and singer for a live performance in symphonic form.