Award-winning interpretation of Nordic folk music

Erling Fredriksson explores his Tornedalian roots on a musical journey aimed at instilling courage. With the help of inspiring anecdotes and a group of world-class musicians on stage, he encourages the audience to find their inner compass. This will touch you from the inside out!

Like the main characters in Mikael Niemi’s best-selling novel *Populärmusik från Vittula*, Erling Fredriksson, as a young student in the 1970s, had a music teacher who made a real difference. His name was Bengt Granberg, and he came to Pajala after a long jazz tour throughout Europe.

“Bengt filled the room with Swedish prog rock, Tornedalian folk songs, and Olle Adolfsson, and I devoured it all,” says Erling Fredriksson as he looks back.

It was during this time that Erling developed a taste for music with lyrics in Meänkieli, and he began to feel a sense of pride in his Tornedalian roots. It is that pride that forms the foundation of this concert.

This program features a selection of songs from Erling Fredriksson’s more than 30-year career as a singer, actor, and musician. They come from theater productions, album recordings, and other performances. Much of the material is written in Meänkieli, and the genre is a blend of folk and world music, jazz, and ballads.

– I like it when lots of different styles come together and when you don’t quite know what’s going to pop up around the next musical corner. We’ll be serving up a rough-and-tumble groove mixed with stripped-down simplicity. All spiced up with a generous helping of genuine Tornedalian melancholy.

– Through my music, I want to inspire and encourage the audience. For me, it has been important to try to connect with my inner compass and have the courage to follow it, even if it leads me down new and unexpected paths.

In addition to his long career as a musician and actor, Erling Fredriksson is also the theater director and artistic director of Tornedalsteatern. But he’s not alone on stage. He’s joined by a group of very exciting musicians who are also given plenty of room to put their own spin on the music.

Take, for example, bassist Dan Berglund, who has played with Esbjörn Svensson’s trio and is one of Sweden’s most established musicians on both the national and international jazz scenes. Then there’s Livet Nord, an award-winning violinist, composer, and artist who isn’t afraid to break down barriers between different musical genres and cultures. Her unique musical identity and unmistakable sound can be heard on over 60 albums.

She is really looking forward to this production, especially the exciting blend of different musical styles and genres:

“I like building bridges between musical styles and forms of expression. Collaborations like this are also important for connecting the north and the south. Sweden is a long, narrow country,” says Livet Nord, who lives in Dalarna.

Also on stage is Viktor Wilhelmsen on guitar, a Norwegian musician who plays everything from blues and jazz to rock and Northern Sami joik. On percussion, we have Isidor Abdelkader, who has roots in Tärendö and has, among other things, been part of the Norrbotten World production *Aventura Brasileira!*, led by Karin Hammar.

Cast

Erling Fredriksson, vocals/narrator

Livet Nord, violin

Viktor Wilhelmsen, guitar

Dan Berglund, double bass

Isidor Abdelkader, percussion