Etheen aina etheen – Framåt alltid framåt

Erling Fredriksson explores his roots in the Torne Valley on a musical journey that aims to inspire courage. Through inspiring anecdotes and a group of world-class musicians on stage, he encourages the audience to find their inner compass. This will move you from the inside out!

Like the main characters in Mikael Niemi’s bestselling novel Populärmusik från Vittula, Erling Fredriksson had a music teacher who made a real difference when he was a young schoolboy in the 1970s. His name was Bengt Granberg, and he came to Pajala after a long jazz tour around Europe.

‘Bengt filled the room with Swedish progg, songs from the Torne Valley and Olle Adolfsson, and I devoured it all,’ says Erling Fredriksson, looking back.

It was during this time that Erling developed a taste for music in Meänkieli and began to feel proud of his roots in the Torne Valley. That pride is the foundation of this concert.

The concert features a selection of songs from Erling Fredriksson’s career of more than 30 years as a singer, actor and musician. They come from theatre productions, recordings and other performances. Much of the material is written in Meänkieli, and the genre is a blend of folk and world music, jazz and the Nordic song tradition.

‘I like it when lots of different styles meet and you don’t quite know what will appear around the next musical bend. We’ll be offering a rough-edged groove mixed with stripped-back simplicity. All seasoned with a generous helping of genuine Torne Valley melancholy.’

‘Through the music, I want to give the audience inspiration and courage. For me, it has been important to try to connect with my inner compass and dare to follow it, even if it leads down new and surprising paths.’

Alongside his long career as a musician and actor, Erling Fredriksson is also theatre director and artistic director of Tornedalsteatern. But he is not alone on stage. He is joined by a group of very exciting musicians who are also given plenty of room to put their own stamp on the music.

One example is bassist Dan Berglund, who has played with Esbjörn Svenssons trio and is one of Sweden’s most established musicians on both the national and international jazz scenes. Then there is Livet Nord, an award-winning violinist, composer and artist who is not afraid to break down boundaries between musical genres and cultures. Her unique musical identity and her indispensable sound can be heard on more than 60 albums.

She is very much looking forward to this production, especially the exciting encounter between different musical styles and genres:

‘I like connections and bridges between musical styles and forms of expression. Collaborations like these are also important for linking north and south. Sweden is a long country,’ says Livet Nord, who lives in Dalarna.

Also on stage is guitarist Viktor Vilhelmsen, a Norwegian musician who plays everything from blues and jazz to rock and North Sámi joik. On percussion is Isidor Abdelkader, whose roots are in Tärendö and who has, among other things, been part of the Norrbotten World production Aventura Brasileira! led by Karin Hammar.

“Etheen aina etheen ei saa heivata

Ei saa antaa perhiin ei saa koskhaan seisahtaa” “Forward, always forward, in an endless race

Always moving forward, never, ever giving up.”

– Erling Fredriksson

Performers

Erling Fredriksson, vocals/narrator

Livet Nord, violin

Viktor Wilhelmsen, guitar

Dan Berglund, double bass

Isidor Abdelkader, percussion