G2

Sweden

www.g2bluegrassband.com

In a few years the name G2 will be synonymous with European bluegrass. The five band members, best friends since they met while jamming at a festival in their native Sweden four years ago, have formed the most exciting bluegrass band ever to come out of Europe. With one album under their belts, another in the works, and plans to tour extensively in the United States, G2 is poised to make a mark on the bluegrass world. The name G2 stands for generation two. Each member of the band has a father or uncle who plays bluegrass and country music, making them the second generation of Swedish bluegrass musicians. When they played together for the first time Christoffer Olsson, Jens Koch, Erik Igelström, Tobias Strömberg, and Jimmy Sunnebrandt realized almost instantly that they had something special. They clicked musically and personally and their collaboration has quickly borne fruit.

The band’s first CD, Where the Tall Grass Grows, was widely acclaimed by critics and fans alike. Bluegrass Unlimited praises the band for playing bluegrass that, “still retain[s] its original flavor without coming off as ironic or retro.” The Bluegrass Blog lauds the album for capturing the band’s “technical prowess.”G2 won the #1 European Bluegrass Band title in 2007. The have already toured in America, playing festivals such as Bean Blossom, ROMP, and the IBMA Fan Fest. They have appeared on Swedish television’s national morning show Nyhetsmorgon and opened up for Kris Kristofferson at the gorgeous Dalhalla amphitheater. The next couple of years are shaping up to be big for the band. In 2009 they will again appear at IBMA and 2010 will see an extended U.S. tour. They win new fans with every appearance. Crowds, especially younger folks, are drawn to G2’s contagious enthusiasm, prodigious talent, and overwhelming joy for playing the music. They are breaking new ground as a European band in America and the world is watching.

Christoffer is G2’s prolific songwriter and lead singer. Since the age of seven he has written songs in English because, he says, “you can’t rhyme in Swedish!” His compositions capture the essence of modern bluegrass and his guitar playing drives the band’s rhythm.
Erik grew up playing folk and country on the guitar, taking after his dad. The movie O Brother Where Art Thou sparked his interest in bluegrass and the mandolin. When he finally got the instrument in his hands, it felt like it was always meant to be there.
Jens got his first banjo from his uncle for Christmas. Although it was difficult getting started on the banjo in Sweden, he listened a lot and made a couple trips to the U.S. while learning. His playing is straight-ahead traditional Scruggs-style and just from listening one might guess he’d been born in North Carolina.

Tobias grew up hearing his banjo-playing dad sing “Sunny Side of the Mountain” while they herded sheep, but he played mostly punk rock until about ten years ago when he almost accidentally slipped into bluegrass from the rockabilly he and his friends were playing. He heard the dobro for the first time at a festival in Sweden and he was hooked.
Jimmy has played the fiddle since he was little. He played bass in a bluegrass band with his dad and studied and played everything from classical to jazz to hard rock while in school. His solid bass playing establishes the foundation of the band’s rhythm and his harmony vocals form a tight seamless blend.