Bear Garden

The Swedish Institute at Athens has invited Martin Wirén, the man behind the artist Bear Garden, to perform at the 20th Athens Technopolis Jazz Festival.

Stay tuned on Friday, May 28 at 21:00 (Greek time).

This year’s event will take the form of a hybrid Jazz Festival. You can either book your seat for free on viva.gr.  or live stream it through the festival’s digital networks, its newly set-up channel on YouTube and its official page on Facebook.

Attached file: Invitation

Martin "Bear Garden" Wirén

Bear Garden is a musical expression, neither more nor less. It´s music - it´s everything.

Martin Wirén, the man behind the artist Bear Garden, is a many times rewarded composer and saxophonist with scholarships such as the Swedish STIM award and The Royal Swedish Academy of Music award on his personal record. On request from the Swedish Nobel Prize Museum he is also known for his musical interpretation of the Nobel Prize winner in literature 2016, Bob Dylan.

Born in the small town of Gällivare in northern Sweden, Wirén was introduced to the saxophone at an early age. Spending the two first decades of his life in the garage of his family home practicing the horn, he later moved to Stockholm to attend The Royal College of Music.

In Stockholm, he began working on his debut as a composer. Influenced by the fierce nature of northern Sweden, and aiming at pushing the limits of the saxophone, Bear Garden´s eponymous debut album emerged. The album was released in November 2019 and laid the foundation for Bear Garden´s musical expression.

Compositions defying musical borders, atmospheric soundscapes and an uncompromising movement forward have become trademarks of Bear Garden. His new album, Sunshine Fruit features them all.

Inspired by the timeless sound of Motown and the contemporary Icelandic music scene, Sunshine Fruit explores the friction between old and new ideas; between using established approaches and looking for new paths. Sunshine Fruit was released February 19.

The text about Martin "Bear Garden" Wirén is from the web page: https://www.beargardenofficial.com/about

Words from the press about Martin Wirén:

”Saxophonist Martin" Bear Garden" Wirén is not geographically part of the British jazz scene, but definitely musically.” - Di WEEKEND, Jan Gradvall

”Bear Garden sends blasts of joy!” - VF

”Wirén’s pieces here are smart and catchy soul-jazz, as warm as the first day of June.” - all about JAZZ

”Can’t stop listening. When the record ends, my first thought is: huh? already? on again! repeat!” - JAZZ, Orkesterjournalen

For more information:

Martin "Bear Garden" Wirén: https://www.beargardenofficial.com/

Athens Technopolis Jazz Festival:
https://www.facebook.com/AthensTechnopolisJazzFestival
och https://www.technopolisjazzfestival.com/index.php/en/