Jens "Jesse" Lindgren Born: 19th of July, 1945 in Stockholm, SWEDEN Instrument: trombone (voc, banjo & tuba) Jesse began playing in bands whilst still in high school in 1962, initially inspired by recordings of Louis Armstrong and Bix Beiderbecke but also contemporary Swedish and foreign traditional bands and soloists around at that (pre-Beatles) time.  During the New Orleans revival of the 1960's Jens formed The Eagle Band, playing in the style of George Lewis & Bunk Johnson and joined Kustbandet in 1964. He also worked with Orange Kellin in The Imperial Band before he left for New Orleans in 1966. Some of the other bands with whom Jesse has appeared other than his own Jesse's Jazz Band, include The Harlem Jazz Camels, Bents Blue Rhythm Band and The Swedish Jazz Kings. He has lead Kustbandet since 1988, and currently is in demand as soloist and MC at concerts and festivals increasingly world wide. As a member and leader of Kustbandet and many other bands Jesse has performed at hundreds of concerts, festivals, radio- and TV-shows in over 20 countries. Some highlights have included The Nobel Prize Gala (1995, 1996, 1998), Carnegie Hall (2000) and appearances at most major European festivals with a diverse range of musicians, from the raunchy blues man "Champion Jack" Dupree to the sophisticated multi-instrumentalist Benny Carter and others, the likes of "Wild Bill" Davison, Maxine Sullivan, Dicky Wells, Doc Cheatham, Kenny Davern, Benny Waters and Joe Muraney. In spring Jens was asked to represent Swedish traditional jazz at "Carnegie Hall Absolut Swedish Jazz Concert" in New York (Classic Jazz Band). Jesse is producing and compering programs for Radio Sweden since 1979, notably "Jesse's Jazz Bar" 1981-88. Since 1987 he has headed The National Swedish Jazz Archives and is a member of The Swedish Jazz Academy.  Tours with Kustbandet and other bands and as soloist have taken him all over Europe and on visits to India, China, Japan, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, The Phillippines, Russia (Siberia!) and USA. Jens has recorded with Kustbandet and Jesse's Jazz Band, also The Harlem Jazz Camels, Classic Jazz Band, Ken Colyer, Jabbo Smith, Humphrey Lyttelton and Jesse's New Orleans Band, and he is heavily represented in Bent Persson's much praised project "Louis Armstrong's 50 Hot Choruses", recreating the music of one of their great heroes in authentic style. Some of Jens's favourites, to name a few, are the trombonists Kid Ory, J.C. Higginbotham, Miff Mole, Dicky Wells, Vic Dickenson, Jim Robinson, Lawrence Brown, and "Tricky Sam" nanton, along with other instrumentlists like Bix Beiderbecke, Coleman Hawkins, Henry "Red" Allen, Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt and Duke Ellington. Jens currently performs with/leads several bands in different styles from "fundamentalist" New Orleans revival style to maintstream-/swing-style combos. He can also be seen and heard playing tuba in a New Orleans brass band or jamming with friends on banjo or string bass in an informal after hour sessions.