Putte Wickman

Putte Wickman was a Swedish jazz clarinet virtuoso whose smooth, lyrical style made him a legend in Scandinavia and beyond. Born in 1924, he rose to fame in the 1940s and became known for blending traditional jazz with a distinctly Nordic melodic sensibility, earning nicknames like "the Paganini of the clarinet." Over his six-decade career, Wickman collaborated with jazz greats like Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman while maintaining a prolific solo output, including genre-defying projects like his classical crossover work *Lindberg: Lapponian Suite*. His later releases like *Reflections* and *Express Blues* showcase his warm tone and improvisational flair, proving he kept swinging right up until his passing in 2006. A beloved cultural icon in Sweden, Wickman’s music remains timeless – whether he was crafting elegant ballads or playful tracks like *Två masar på Mallorca* (a cheeky ode to vacationing moose).