About the artists
(put together by
Einar Strömblad)
Liudmyla Shtepan (piano
player, composer) - Kristianstad (Sweden)
Liudmyla
was born in Ukraine with Czech heritage. She started composing and performing on
the piano at the age of 8. Later she got a classical education as a concert
pianist. When moving to Sweden 1999, after a few years stay in Prague, she
continued composing in a different style . Today she creates music for the
piano/saxophone, but also songs with lyrics, mostly in English, in cooperation
with another songwriter. During Liudmyla's Swedish period, she has created a lot
of music, now ready to be released. Her music, often relaxing and meditative,
is a mixture of classical, folkloristic music with jazz elements. Her
non-instrumental music often are ballads or so called "Visor" (typical
Swedish name of a genre). Her music has been awarded, e.g. in John
Lennon Song Contest (honourable mentioning in 2002). One of her instrumental
songs has also been hand picked for inclusion on an American
Charity CD, together with some big names like Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel,
Elton John, Billy Joel, Sting, U2, Sheryl Crow and Bruce Springsteen.
Tentative release date is May 25th, 2004.
Berndt Sjögren (saxophon
player, composer, arranger, band leader) - Kristianstad (Sweden)
Liudmyla
met Berndt Sjögren early 2003, a known saxophonist and jazz band leader, who
has been touring with his XL
Big Band both in Europe and the US. They recorded their first CD together in
Prague May 2003, called Forever....
Berndt, with a degree in Master of Fine Arts, has great curiousity for musical
meetings also outside the jazz. In 2002 he was awarded the Swedish "Harry
Arnold Scholarship" with the citations: "... his ability to unite
tradition and renewal in a personal way.".
Nilla Nielsen (composer, lyricist,
singer) - Helsingborg (Sweden)
Liudmyla
met the songwriter/singer Nilla
in
springtime 2003 at a gig. With a dad, who was a musician/singer in Copenhagen's
Big Band, the music has always been a large and natural part of her life.
Nilla started playing the electronic organ at 8 years of age, but her
songwriting skills became more serious when she got a guitar as a gift from her
mum and grandmum at the age of 17. Since then she has played in different
circumstances/constellations, both solo and with different bands, in clubs,
cafés, pubs etc as well as performed in TV at several occasions. Nilla has
worked with the Swedish, famous producer Lasse Lindbom in the recording studios. As a lyricist she tells her stories in a
sincere, heartfelt and
intimate language of pictures. She has a unique style and soulful voice, that in
the cooperation with Liudmyla, is given the space and possibility to touch the
listener.