Combining the rich heritage of her Swedish homeland with traditional jazz and varied musical influences from around the world, Nilsson and her quintet will showcase arrangements of Swedish Traditional music as well as original compositions.

Nilsson has built a solid career and reputation upon her belief that all folk music (including jazz) has a common thread, and that by weaving those threads together, a deeper, more intimate understanding among contrasting cultures can be reached. It is in this spirit that Elsa’s “absolutely gorgeous” (Karen Pauley, KSER, Seattle) compositions shine through.