Kustbandet sets the Tone – from Ragtime to Swing

Welcome to a jazzy journey through time and space with Kustbandet, a unique institution in the Swedish music scene that has maintained its style throughout the years. With an unceasing interest in the origins of jazz, the orchestra has also achieved major international successes under its motto “From Ragtime to Swing”.

“I wanna hear Kooostbandet! That’s the kind of music I grew up with,” explained legendary trumpet player Dizzy Gillespie to a Swedish jazz journalist before one of his tours of Sweden in the 1970s.

Dizzy and Kustbandet shared role models, and the orchestra established itself as one of the leading performers of the swinging and entertaining Harlem jazz style, which emerged in the era of New York’s swing ballrooms and Chicago’s prohibitionist speakeasies.

Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Count Basie are the most recognizable role models, but Kustbandet has also featured music by other trendsetters, such as Fletcher Henderson, Bix Beiderbecke, Paul Whiteman and Benny Carter.

Sometimes Kustbandet begins from the original arrangement found in American archives and sometimes they make transcriptions and reinterpretations from early recordings. Sometimes the band’s skilled arrangers make their own arrangements – always with just the right sense of style. 

Kustbandet has performed in over 20 countries, including at Nobel parties, countless festivals, concerts, cruises, jazz clubs, public celebrations, radio and TV shows – anywhere that audiences want to have a good time with music. We can look forward to a wonderful concert sprinkled with both humour and surprises. ”From Ragtime to Swing”.