Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music
ERSTRAND, Lars
(
b 27 September 1936;
d 11 March 2009) Swedish vibraphonist. He modeled his playing after that of Lionel Hampton and rose to fame in Sweden during the swing-revival years around 1970, playing Benny Goodman's style in quartets and quintets led by clarinetist Ove Lind (1926-91). He also collaborated with alto saxophonist Arne Domnérus, singer Alice Babs, organist Kjell Öhman, Danish violinist Svend Asmussen, and with American stars such as Bob Wilber, Scott Hamilton, Frank Vignola and Ken Peplowski. A highlight of his career was when Goodman brought him to Paris to play with him in 1972, and in 1991 he made a CD called
Two Generations with Hampton on Phontastic. He toured widely as a soloist, with his own quartet, and with a quartet called Swedish Swing Society.