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New album out in 2026!
Here’s three teasers, raw mixes of the upcoming album Niklas Winter Quartet ’We Should’ve Known Better’. (AV1023)
Fredrik Nordström – tenor saxophone, Niklas Winter – guitar, Filip Augustson – upright bass, Markku Ounaskari – drums.
We Should’ve Known Better (Winter, Nordström, Augustson, Ounaskari)
Strictly Confidential (Niklas Winter)
Ballad To A Lonely Heart (Niklas Winter)
Record label: www.abovoice.com | Jazz Guitar Today (USA) interview with Niklas 12/2023
About
Niklas Winter is a Finnish jazz guitarist and composer. Winter has made 10 records as a leader and has been active as a sideman in several bands. He tours frequently the world making around 40 concerts per year in the Nordic countries and in Europe, Asia and the US.
During the years Winter has performed with; Kenny Wheeler, Henry Lowther, Ulf Wakenius, Jesse van Ruller, John Stowell, Kirite Kanawa, Cameron Brown, Ted Curson, Lars Jansson, Jukkis Uotila, Teemu Viinikainen, Karl-Martin Almqvist, Fumio Yasuda, Ino Nobuyoshi, Jani Moder, Morten Lund, Emil Hess, Jesper Bodilsen, Severi Pyysalo, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra and with many more.
Winter’s passion is writing and performing original music.
”The result is an entirely successful run of fourteen very different tracks that hang together to provide an overall aesthetic that is both meditative and swinging.”
— Phil Johnson on the Graduale album, London Jazz News, 2023 (UK)
”Nyt on vanha kunnon albumikokonaisuuden idea on kunniassaan. Toki minkä tahansa kappaleen voi halutessaan irrottaa erilliskuunteluun, mutta parempi ratkaisu on kunnioittaa huolella laadittua kokonaisuutta, kuunnella musiikki juuri niin kuin on tarkoitettu, pienistä osasista yhtenäiseksi kasvavana taideteoksena.”
— Pentti Ronkanen / Suomijazz 11/2023 (Finland)
”Det gjør vi like godt med et høyst unikt musikalsk konsept der Winter fusjonerer sin egen musikk for jazzkvartett og solo med finsk middelalder-kormusikk. Spesielt? Definitivt. Vakkert? Avgjort.”
— Tor Hammerö on the Graduale album / Nettavisen 2023 (Norway)
”Winter has a fresh, modern sound. This is original and very exciting music and Niklas Winter Quartet has surely been a great experience at many festivals.”
— Tor Hammerø / Jazznyt (Norway)
”Missä hyvänsä Niklas Winter soittaa, hänen herkästi kaipailevan kitaransa tunnistaa. Winter tuntuu etsivän käsitteiksi taipumatonta, jotain vielä ja ehkä pysyvästi näkymätöntä. Soundi on ollut samanlainen vuosia.”
— Kari Salminen / Turun Sanomat (2.9.2022)
”Niklas Winter’s poetic playing shows great knowledge of improvisational skills.”
— Jörgen Östberg / Orkester Journalen (Sweden)
”In Winter’s playing listener can hear plainness and intelligence. Winter’s improvisations and harmonies look back to the history of jazz but also expresses the atmosphere of today.”
— Hiroki Sugita / Jazz Life (Japan)
”Trust in fact, was key, as was a fundamental sense of good time. Without a drummer or a bassist, and with the two guitarists sometimes dissolving into spare sections where time was, at best, suggested, it became even more essential that the two could internalize that time and know where it was, without it being explicitly there. It’s in the context of the duo that an artist is at his/her most exposed; not only are their abilities, instincts and improvisational élan laid bare, but their communication skills—or lack thereof—are impossible to disguise. Viinikainen and Winter needn’t have worried, as it was clear, from their Tampere Jazz Happening performance, that this was a duo communicating at a very deep level, playing relatively quiet music that was, nevertheless, thoroughly captivating.”
— John Kelman / All About Jazz (USA)
Niklas Winter — Graduale
The album consists of Winter original compositions combined with his arrangements of the oldest written music in Finland.
Henry Lowther – trumpet and fluegelhorn, Niklas Winter – guitar, Severi Pyysalo – vibraphone, Juho Laitinen – cello, Utopia Chamber Choir.
The link below takes you to the Finnish record label Abovoice. Buy this album and albums of many other Finnish jazz musicians on this site.
Concerts 2026
Look at ’concerts’ from the menu for a full list of upcoming and past performances. More dates to be added soon.
16.1 — Telegrafens vinbar, Mariehamn, Åland.
With master vibraphonist Severi Pyysalo. An evening of jazz evergreens and more.
The concert starts at 7PM.
https://www.telegrafen.ax/foretag/telegrafens-vinbar/
29.1 — Sibeliusmuseum, Turku, Finland.
Solo guitar concert at the grand opening of the museums 100-year anniversary exhibition.
The event starts at 6PM. This is a private event for persons with invitations only.
https://sibeliusmuseum.fi
5.2 — Vuotalo, Helsinki, Finland.
Niklas Winter Quintet. År som löv – musik till texter av Bo Carpelan.
Johanna Grüssner – Vocals, Niklas Winter – guitar, Lars Jansson – piano, Ulf Krokfors – bass, Markku Ounaskari – drums.
The concert starts at 6PM. Tickets on door (15/20€) or from lippu.fi.
https://www.lippu.fi/event/niklas-winter-kvintett-aar-som-lov-musik-till-texter-av-bo-carpelan-vuotalo-21142472/
6.2 — Doobop Jazz Club, Vasa, Finland.
Duo concert with Swedish pianist Lars Jansson. An evening with jazz standards and original compositions.
The concert starts at 8PM.
https://doobop.fi
21.2 — Jazz Café AXO, Parainen, Finland.
Solo concert with jazz evergreens and original compositions.
The concert starts at 4PM.
https://jazzcafeaxo.fi
13.3 — Cork and Screw, Texas, USA.
With guitarist Mark Scott.
The concert starts at 4PM.
https://corkandscrewtx.com
15.3 – Monks Jazz Club, Austin, Texas.
With Mark Scott’s quartet.
https://monksjazz.com
1.7 – Sofia Wilhelmina Church, Iniö, Finland.
Solo guitar concert. The concert starts at 6PM.
8.7 – Cosma, Turku, Finland.
Tom Waits tribute played by Martti Wallasvaara – vocals & guitar, Niklas Winter – guitar, Valtteri Lipasti – vocals & bass & keyboards, Mikko Siusluoto – drums.
The concert starts starts at 6PM.
https://cosmaturku.fi
16.7 – Rumar strand, Korppo, Finland.
Tom Waits tribute played by Martti Wallasvaara – vocals & guitar, Niklas Winter – guitar, Valtteri Lipasti – vocals & bass & keyboards, Mikko Siusluoto – drums.
https://rumarstrand.fi
18.7 – Utö havshotell, Finland.
Tom Waits tribute played by Martti Wallasvaara – vocals & guitar, Niklas Winter – guitar, Valtteri Lipasti – vocals & bass & keyboards, Mikko Siusluoto – drums.
https://utohotel.fi
19.7 – Aspö gästhamn, Aspö, Finland.
Tom Waits tribute played by Martti Wallasvaara – vocals & guitar, Niklas Winter – guitar, Valtteri Lipasti – vocals & bass & keyboards, Mikko Siusluoto – drums.
https://sites.google.com/aspocharter.com/visit-aspo/vierasvenesatama
30.8 – Stansvik, Helsinki, Finland.br>
Duo with Barbora Xu – GuZheng. Original music written and improvised.
https://ravintolastansvik.fi
18.9 — Sibelius Museum, Turku, Finland.
Niklas Winter Afrikan Skies feat. Steve Abeni (Benin)
With Steve Abeni – vocals & guitar, Kari Ikonen – piano & Moog, Kaisa Mäensivu – double bass, Ismaila Sane – percussion & vocals.
The concert starts at 7PM.
https://sibeliusmuseum.fi/en/
1-15.11 – Japan Tour with Søren (DK) Lee and friends.
Niklas Winter – guitar, Søren Lee – guitar.
Venues and personnel TBA soon!
Duo concerts, trio & quartet concerts.
3-15.12 – Mark Scott (USA) & Niklas Winter tour.
Niklas Winter – guitar, Mark Scott – guitar.
Venues TBA soon!
8.12 – Taidekappeli, Hirvensalo, Finland.
Duo with Mark Scott – guitar. Jazz standards and original compositions.
The concert starts at 7PM.
https//taidekappeli.fi
2027
3.2 – Turun kitarafestivaali, Turku, Finland.
World premiere of my guitar composition 4×4 DRIVE. This piece will feature 8 acoustic and electric guitarists. I will also play one solo pice.
News — June 2026
Hello friends!
The summer is here and it’s my favorite time of the year here in Finland. During the summer I’ll be working on my two new albums that I’m planning to release in the fall 2026. The first one is originally my quartet jazz album that I’ve been working on for the last 3 years. Will be very exciting to finally release the material! I have also recorded new stuff for the album and there will be quest musicians adding their flavor to it.
The second album will be my newly written music to poems by Bo Carpelan sung in Swedish by Johanna Grüssner. The other musicians are Lars Jansson on piano, Ulf Krokfors on double bass and Olavi Louhivuori on drums.
During the summer I’ll do a couple of gigs as well but my ’gig season’ officially starts in the fall. I’ll be adding new gigs to the calendar after they are confirmed.
Peace,
Niklas
