For many trombonists, Christmas music, which is often played by brass choirs, is delightful to play. In this case Landgren brought to the table not only all the Christmas songs he had come across during his 30 years of professional playing; he brought together all the experiences he has absorbed playing funk, jazzy pop, subtly fragile ballades, along with his work studying church music and Swedish folklore. Above all else he was able to celebrate a musical festival with many of his long-time friends and fellow musical travellers. 

The critics celebrated the album as “the year’s most beautiful Christmas CD”, “a soulful heavenly journey”, and it went Gold in both Sweden and Germany. However, for Landgren it wasn’t the first CD’s overwhelming success that prompted him to bring out a new one: ”’Why another Christmas album?’ you may ask. I did ask myself the same question many times before it became clear to me that, with all the joy I experienced while making the first one and the warmth that embraced us while presenting it to our audiences on tour, it simply had to be a second one. I just felt that my journey through winter wonderland would not be complete without it.” 

Friendship has often been the basis for great collaborations in music. It was also something very special for “Mr. Red Horn”, trombonist Nils Landgren, when two years ago he fulfilled a long-cherished wish by celebrating Christmas With My Friends.