For her 2021 album, Postcard From Gamla Stan, Italian drummer / composer Cecilia Sanchietti moved her sound to Stockholm, in the country of Sweden and the results are an international sounding album of pure contemporary jazz. Featuring Ms. Sanchietti with all-Swedish lineup of backing musicians, Postcard From Gamla Stan isn’t entirely instrumental as vocalist Anna Lundqvist adds in her vocals, singing notes in a scat singing style. No lyrics means that Ms. Lunqvist’s voice acts like an instrument all its own, making Postcard From Gamla Stan a most unique album of modern jazz.

Sweden, of course, has its own unique history of jazz. Aside from the country’s own unique folk-jazz music, many American artists have performed and recorded in Sweden. John Coltrane released a 1993 compilation album called Dear Old Stockholm, an album spotlighting his 1963 recording of the title track. Made possible by the Italian Institute of Culture in Stockholm and the Swedish embassy in Rome, and credited to the Cecilia Sanchietti Swedish Quintet, Postcard From Gamla Stan has a very global flavor.

Cecilia’s drumming and compositional style is first rate and the group she assembled, including the above-mentioned Ms. Lundqvist, as well as Simon Westman (acoustic piano), Linus Lindblom (sax, clarinet) and Josef Kallerdahl (double bass) more than lives up to the challenge of performing the music on this noteworthy album of modern, mainly acoustic jazz.

Cecilia already released an album on the renowned Chicago-based BluJazz label, in 2018,  called La Terza Via (The Third Side Of The Coin). It’s extra special to report this awe-inspiring music is created by a jazz drummer and composer that also happens to be a woman. Fans of mainstream jazz will be delighted by Cecilia Sanchietti’s totally swinging new album Postcard From Gamla Stan.