Putte Wickman
Encyclopedia
Putte Wickman was one of the world's leading jazz
clarinetists.
He was born Hans Olof Wickman in Falun
, and grew up in Borlänge
, Sweden
, where his parents hoped he would become a lawyer. He nagged them to allow him to go to high school in Stockholm
. When he arrived in the capital he still did not know what jazz was, and said in an interview many years later he was probably the only 15 year old who did not. Since he did not have access to a piano
in Stockholm, he was given a clarinet
by his mother as a Christmas present - a life changing event, as it turned out, as by then he had started to hang out with "the worst elements in the class - those with jazz records".
Artie Shaw
and Benny Goodman
were the role models for the young Wickman, who, already in 1944, had turned to music full time. He was taken on as band leader at Stockholm's Nalen and in 1945 the newly-founded Swedish newspaper the Expressen
described him as the country's foremost clarinet player. Like many other distinctive artists, Putte Wickman considered himself self-taught; he had never taken a classes on the instrument.
He led his own band at Nalen for 11 years and during the 1960s he ran the big band at Gröna Lund
, and at Puttes, the club he part-owned, at Hornstull
in Stockholm. In interviews in his later years it was clear that he rated his church performances very highly. He was until shortly before his death still active as a musician, giving concerts every year. The technique and tone was still of the highest class, as was the well-pressed suit with a white handkerchief in the breast pocket.
In 1994, Wickman received the Illis Quorum
gold medal, today the highest award that can be conferred upon an individual Swedish citizen by the Government of Sweden. Putte Wickman was a member of the Royal Swedish Musical Academy.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
clarinetists.
He was born Hans Olof Wickman in Falun
Falun
Falun is a city and the seat of Falun Municipality in Dalarna County, Sweden, with 36,447 inhabitants in 2005. It is also the capital of Dalarna County...
, and grew up in Borlänge
Borlänge
Borlänge is a locality and the seat of Borlänge Municipality in Dalarna County, Sweden, with 49200 inhabitants in 2011.- History :Originally Borlänge was the name of a tiny village, and the first historical information about it is from 1390. The village was insignificant up until about 1870...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, where his parents hoped he would become a lawyer. He nagged them to allow him to go to high school in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. When he arrived in the capital he still did not know what jazz was, and said in an interview many years later he was probably the only 15 year old who did not. Since he did not have access to a piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
in Stockholm, he was given a clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
by his mother as a Christmas present - a life changing event, as it turned out, as by then he had started to hang out with "the worst elements in the class - those with jazz records".
Artie Shaw
Artie Shaw
Arthur Jacob Arshawsky , better known as Artie Shaw, was an American jazz clarinetist, composer, and bandleader. He was also the author of both fiction and non-fiction writings....
and Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman
Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
were the role models for the young Wickman, who, already in 1944, had turned to music full time. He was taken on as band leader at Stockholm's Nalen and in 1945 the newly-founded Swedish newspaper the Expressen
Expressen
Expressen is one of two nationwide evening tabloid newspapers in Sweden, the other being Aftonbladet. Expressen was founded in 1944; its symbol is a wasp and slogans "it stings" or "Expressen to your rescue", always on the reader's side....
described him as the country's foremost clarinet player. Like many other distinctive artists, Putte Wickman considered himself self-taught; he had never taken a classes on the instrument.
He led his own band at Nalen for 11 years and during the 1960s he ran the big band at Gröna Lund
Gröna Lund
Tivoli Gröna Lund or Grönan is an amusement park in Stockholm, Sweden. It is located on the seaward side of the Djurgården island and is relatively small compared to other amusement parks, mainly due to its central location, which limits expansion. Gröna Lund is a popular venue for concerts during...
, and at Puttes, the club he part-owned, at Hornstull
Hornstull
Hornstull is an area in western Södermalm, Stockholm. Hornstull is actually the name of where the streets Hornsgatan and Långholmsgatan intersect...
in Stockholm. In interviews in his later years it was clear that he rated his church performances very highly. He was until shortly before his death still active as a musician, giving concerts every year. The technique and tone was still of the highest class, as was the well-pressed suit with a white handkerchief in the breast pocket.
In 1994, Wickman received the Illis Quorum
Illis Quorum
Illis Quorum ["For Those Whose Labors Have Deserved It"], today the highest award that can be conferred upon an individual Swedish citizen by the Government of Sweden....
gold medal, today the highest award that can be conferred upon an individual Swedish citizen by the Government of Sweden. Putte Wickman was a member of the Royal Swedish Musical Academy.
Recordings
- 1969 - Putte Wickman & Sivuca (with SivucaSivucaSeverino Dias de Oliveirawas a Brazilian accordionist and guitarist.In addition to in his home state of Paraíba, in Recife, and in Rio de Janeiro,...
) - 1969 - The Sound of Surprise - Live at the Pawnshop Putte Wickman Quartet - Lars Sjøsten/ Sture Nordin/ Pelle Hulten
- 1981 - Stockholm '81 (with John LewisJohn Lewis (pianist)John Aaron Lewis was an American jazz pianist and composer best known as the musical director of the Modern Jazz Quartet.- Early life:...
and Red MitchellRed MitchellKeith Moore "Red" Mitchell Keith Moore "Red" Mitchell Keith Moore "Red" Mitchell (September 20, 1927, New York City - November 8, 1992, Salem, Oregon, was an American jazz double-bassist, composer, lyricist, and poet. He was the brother of Whitey Mitchell....
) - 1984 - Slukefter blues (with John LewisJohn Lewis (pianist)John Aaron Lewis was an American jazz pianist and composer best known as the musical director of the Modern Jazz Quartet.- Early life:...
et al.) - 1984 - Desire (with Janne SchafferJanne SchafferJan Erik Tage Janne Schaffer is a Swedish songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his work as a session guitarist for ABBA but he has also recorded with artists such as Bob Marley, Johnny Nash, Art Farmer and Tony Williams...
, Björn J:son LindhBjörn J:son LindhBjörn J:son Lindh is a Swedish flautist, keyboardist and composer. Lindh has scored music for films including Mannen på taket, directed by Bo Widerberg and Jägarna, directed by Kjell Sundvall...
, Per Lindvall et al.) - 1985 - Mr Clarinet (with Janne SchafferJanne SchafferJan Erik Tage Janne Schaffer is a Swedish songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his work as a session guitarist for ABBA but he has also recorded with artists such as Bob Marley, Johnny Nash, Art Farmer and Tony Williams...
, Björn J:son LindhBjörn J:son LindhBjörn J:son Lindh is a Swedish flautist, keyboardist and composer. Lindh has scored music for films including Mannen på taket, directed by Bo Widerberg and Jägarna, directed by Kjell Sundvall...
, Per Lindvall et al.) - 1985 - Four Leaf Clover
- 1987 - Wickman in Wonderland
- 1987 - Time to Remember (with the Hal Galper Trio)
- 1987 - Bundas do Brasil (Sonet Records)
- 1988 - The Very Thought of You (with Red Mitchell)
- 1989 - Så skön som solen (with Ivan Renliden et al.)
- 1991 - Fine Together (with Visby Big Band)
- 1993 - Bewitched (Putte Wickman and Trios)
- 1993 - Time after time (with Gävleborgs symfoniorkester, conductor Gustaf Sjökvist)
- 1994 - North American Tour 1991
- 1995 - Happy Together (with Arne DomnérusArne DomnérusSven Arne Domnérus was a Swedish jazz alto saxophonist and clarinetist, popularly nicknamed Dompan....
) - 1995 - On A Friday
- 1996 - The Sound of Surprise
- 1997 - Back to the Future (with Anders Berglunds storband, Björn Skifs, Viktoria Tolstoy, Svante Thuresson)
- 1997 - Bewitched
- 1998 - Django d'or (with Babik ReinhardtBabik ReinhardtBabik Reinhardt was one of Django Reinhardt's sons, and a guitarist himself. He did not learn the guitar directly from Django, who wanted him to learn the piano instead, but from various other family members....
et al.) - 1998 - Simple Isn't Easy: At the Stockholm Summer Jazz Festivals
- 1999 - The Champs (with Buddy DeFrancoBuddy DeFrancoBoniface Ferdinand Leonard "Buddy" DeFranco is an American jazz clarinet player.-Biography:DeFranco began his professional career just as swing music and big bands — many of which were led by clarinetists like Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman and Woody Herman — were fading in popularity...
and Claes Crona Trio) - 2004 - En sommarkonsert (with Jan LundgrenJan LundgrenJan Lundgren is a Swedish jazz musician , known for his solo work, and his own jazz trio.Born in Kristianstad and raised in Ronneby, Jan Lundgren was formerly in the group "St...
and Göran Fristorp) - 2004 - We will always be together (with Jan Lundgren, Jesper LundgaardJesper LundgaardJesper Lundgaard is a Danish jazz bassist, bandleader, composer and recording studio. Since his debut in the mid 1970s, he has been among the most prominent bassists in Danish jazz and as a sideman he has appeared on more than 400 albums both with Danish and leading American jazz...
and Alex RielAlex RielAlex Riel, , is a Danish jazz and rock drummer. His first group Alex Riel/Palle Mikkelborg Quintet won Montreux Grand Prix Award at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1968 and it was published in Billboards June 1968 edition.-Biography:Riel has recorded with, among others, Kenny Drew, Kenny Werner, Bob...
) - 2004 - Putte 80 - Putte Wickman på Gazzell
- 2005 - An Intimate Salute to Frankie (Sinatra)
- 2005 - Kinda Dukish (with Ernie Wilkins Almost Big Band plays Duke Ellington)
- 2007 - "Antonsen Big Band w/Guests"