Patrik Grundström, Erki Pärnoja & Ahto Abner (Sweden-Estonia)

Swedish composer and bassist Patrik Grundström presents a collection of his carefully crafted compositions, refined over the past few years. As one of Sweden’s most in-demand session bassists, Grundström plays a key role in shaping the country’s folk music scene. His ensemble, Hilleviensemblen, was honoured with Folk Album of the Year at the Swedish Manifest Prize. At this year’s Jazzkaar, Grundström will take the stage with his good friend and former schoolmate, composer and guitarist Erki Pärnoja, joined by Ahto Abner on drums.

Last autumn, Patrik Grundström travelled to Tallinn to refine and finalise his compositions with the help of Erki Pärnoja. After a week of arranging, experimenting, and reshaping pieces in Pärnoja’s Kalamaja studio, it became clear that Grundström’s debut solo album was taking shape. The Swedish bass virtuoso blends Nordic folk sounds with masterful influences from traditional jazz and post-rock. His compositions are playful – at times delicately introspective, then building into a rush of crescendo, only to settle into calm before rising again. Every note is carefully measured, composed, and arranged for the most comfortable and immersive listening experience – as Danish music lovers might say, it truly is music for Hygge!

Erki Pärnoja is an Estonian multi-instrumentalist, composer, and guitarist whose music seamlessly fuses indie rock, ambient, and cinematic soundscapes. Whether on stage or in the studio, Pärnoja’s compositions stand out for their deep emotional resonance and visual storytelling, earning him a distinct place in the world of contemporary alternative instrumental music.

Ahto Abner is a renowned drummer, highly regarded for his work across a diverse range of pop and jazz projects. He has collaborated with an impressive roster of artists and ensembles, including Kadri Voorand Quartet, MiaMee, Helin-Mari Arder, Oleg Pissarenko Band, Sofia Rubina, Ewert Sundja, Dave Benton, Slobodan River, Eda-Ines Etti, and Siiri Sisask, to name just a few. With a career spanning countless performances and recordings, his drumming can be heard on more than 90 albums.