the 2024 gavatin Prize to Klas Lindquist

Klas Lindquist was awarded the prestigious Laila and Charles Gavatin Foundation Prize for Jazz Music on October 14 during his nonet’s performance at the Stockholm Jazz Festival. Lindquist received this award for his contributions not only as a Jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and arranger, but for his contribution to the Swedish Jazz scene through leadership of his much acclaimed nonet.

Since 1989 the Gavatin prize has been awarded to Jazz musicians in Sweden; recipients include Fredrik Lindborg, Peter Asplund, Max Schultz and Bosse Broberg, among others. Presenting the award on this evening was Swedish pianist Elsie Einarsdotter.

The prize, which includes a 100,000 kr cash prize, surprised Lindquist, who stated in Orkester Journalen that he intends to use the prize money to reinvest in his nonet, producing a new album in 2025. The nonet’s previous album, “Alternative Source of Energy”, was named the best Swedish Jazz album of 2023 by the readers of the same magazine.