musician (alto saxophone, flute), composer


I started out as a classical flute player studying with a member of a Symphony Orchestra for a few years, and studied the saxophone ten years later, at jazz schools and individually with jazz musicians.

When I became a professional musician, I was one of few woman saxophonists in jazz and improvised music, and therefore rarely had the chance to work with women. In 1988 and 1989, I was a member of the Cecil Taylor Workshop Band, which meant working intensely with him for several weeks with concerts in Berlin and Kassel and an album: Legba Crossing, part of Cecil Taylor in Berlin 88 box.

I have worked with many amazing musicians from Europe, North America and Asia and released more than 40 albums on labels in Europe and the US, both as physical copies and as online albums.

I have registered almost 200 compositions, from solo pieces to pieces for larger ensembles

I often play in duos; for example with drummer Donald Robinson, drummer Peeter Uuskyla, bassist Roberto Bellatalla, live electronic and computer sound musician Tim Perkis.

I also do solo performances and often participate in different projects, both in Sweden and abroad, mostly genre-bending projects bridging different musical horizons and perspectives.

Year 2020 is the birth of our record label / catalogue : Open Horizon Records
The catalogue / label lists the albums of Peeter Uuskyla, Biggi Vinkeloe and Nema Vinkeloe Uuskyla.
The albums can be purchased directly from OHR.

I am the recipient of several grants:
Artist in Residence at the Headlands Center for the Arts, San Francisco, spring 2001 Grants: City of Kungalv 1995 / Bohus Landstinget 1997 / Region of Vastra Gotaland 2005, 2019 / Adalbertska Stiftelse (Foundation) 2005 / Swedish Council for Cultural Affairs 1995, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2015, 2017, 2018.
Grants for specific projects, mostly in Sweden, and fundings for cultural exchange projects with Canada, USA, Uganda, India, Italy, Lithuania, Germany.

For albums and downloads please go to www.openhorizonrecords.com

WORKING BANDS


ZAËA


A quartet with classical schooling performing sacred European music, from Hildegard von Bingen to contemporary. Soprano voices by Nema Vinkeloe and Christin Gustafsson, church organ by Gabriel Henningson. ZAËA is the continuation of the larger project JADE, New Spiritual Music, with Karin Nelson, organ, Maria Forsström, mezzosopran and conductor, François Lemonnier, trombone and the Volcanic Choir, a girls' choir. http://futuramarge.free.fr/fr/listefutura.php

BIGGI VINKELOE BAND


A quartet solidly rooted in jazz and improvised music, with Peeter Uuskyla, drums, Roberto Bellatalla, double bass and Nema Vinkeloe, violin and voice. The group has performed in Sweden and Italy and released the album Aura Via Appia. This quartet is the continuation of Biggi Vinkeloe Trio, founded in 1989 by myself and Peeter Uuskyla. We have performed, recorded and toured with different amazing bassists, Georg Wolf, Barre Phillips, Ken Filiano, Peter Friis Nielsen, Roberto Bellatalla, Peter Kowald, Scott Walton.

HAROLD TRIO


A new jazz trio, with Amy Bormet, piano and voice and Tina Raymond, drums, based in Washington D.C. The trio has performed in the US and in Sweden and has released two albums, Open Secrets and Harold Trio.

NAB TRIO


NAB TRIO is a Swedish trio with roots in jazz and Swedish traditional and folk music, with Nema Vinkeloe, violin and voice and Annika Törnqvist, electric bass. The trio collaborates often with Indian musicians and has released the album Sētuvegaḷu, a live concert in Sweden with Sangeetha Ravindranath and Arun Shiva Ganesh.

MOONCAKE TRIO


MOONCAKE TRIO, based in Oakland, California, eclectic music between composition and improvisation, with Emily Hay, flutes and voice and Motoko Honda, piano.

Live Performances