I'm Armand and I play chromatic harmonica and suling. Originally from the Netherlands, I've been calling Sweden home for a while now. My background's a mix of Indo- Dutch-Creole heritage, which has always fueled my interest in blending jazz with diverse musical traditions.
After completing my jazz degree in Rotterdam, I made the move to Gothenburg in 2020 to keep developing myself as a musician amidst all the Covid lockdowns. It wasn't easy leaving behind flourishing projects like my CoolHaven Quintet and collaborations with bands like the Ivy Lemos Trio and Chi Quartet. But the allure of Nordic jazz had been calling to me for years and this felt like the right moment to pursue it.
Hey there,
I started with studying a master in Improvisation and World Music at the Högskolan för Scen och Musik, learning from mentors like Anders Jormin and Arve Henriksen and collaborating with musicians from across Scandinavia. I even picked up the suling, a traditional Indonesian bamboo flute, as a way to reconnect with my roots when I felt lonely or lost.
And then, I found love with a Swedish folk violinist and unexpectedly decided to stay in Sweden. We moved to Stockholm together after I graduated and started a folk-jazz duo. Each summer we stay at her family's farm in rural Ångermeland, which has been very inspirational for my art and my home away from home.
In 2023, I felt a renewed passion for modern jazz and decided to form a new group with Scandinavian musicians I had met along the way. The chemistry was undeniable, and the music we created together felt like a natural fit.
We recorded our debut album, 'Nothing to Declare,' which was released in April 2024 under Howling Jazz.
This album is deeply personal for me, reflecting my experiences with migration and adaptation. Despite the challenges, I feel grateful to express these emotions through music alongside such talented musicians.
It's been validating to receive praise from Scandinavian press such as Swedish jazz magazine OrkersterJournalen, describing our record as 'very atmospheric folk-jazz' with 'a multi-dimensional sound,' confirming that I'm on the right path.