Landgren, Nils & Esbjorn Svensson - Swedish Folk Modern (Past Is Present Edition)

Swedish Folk Modern, by Nils Landgren and Esbjörn Svensson, captures a rare and deeply intuitive collaboration between two defining voices of European jazz.

Recorded in 1997 almost by chance, the album brings together Nils Landgren and Esbjörn Svensson at a pivotal moment in their careers - just as both were on the verge of major breakthroughs with their own projects.

What emerged over the course of just two days in Stockholm’s Atlantis Studios is a work of striking immediacy and quiet power. Rooted in traditional Swedish folk songs and hymns, the music unfolds with lyrical clarity and emotional depth. Landgren and Svensson approach these timeless melodies with profound respect, allowing them to breathe and resonate while subtly reframing them through their shared jazz sensibility.

Since its release in 1998, Swedish Folk Modern has come to be regarded as a landmark recording where Nordic folk heritage meets modern expression with an understated intensity that still feels utterly present today. It also stands as a rare document in Svensson’s legacy outside of e.s.t., making it not only musically compelling but historically significant.

A timeless recording - now rediscovered as part of past is present.