What makes Swedish jazz so Swedish? What does it have that Belgian, French, English ... or American jazz lacks? A hunt for distinctive national elements in Swedish jazz yields little in the way of answers. One musician who immediately springs to mind, of course, is baritone saxophonist Lars Gullin (1928-76), whose folkloristic and romantic music definitely fits the description; during the 1950s disparaging voices even referred to it as "fäbodjazz" (goatherd’s jazz). However, Gullin’s music is more a reflection of his own personality and of the scope that jazz allows for individualism in general, rather than a typical expression of the specific qualities that characterise Swedish jazz. Nevertheless, the music is sometimes said to have a character of its own which non-Swedish musicians and critics from time to time have tried to define: a sparse, lyrical quality, often in combination with a typically Nordic melancholy that is sometimes thought to be an expression of our climate - the dark, cold winters and the long, light summer evenings - and of the Swedish scenery, with its deep forests and high mountains. These qualities are not only restricted to the jazz versions of Nordic and Swedish folk tunes that were introduced in the 1960s by pianist Jan Johansson (1931-68) and others, an artistic method of working that Swedish jazz musicians have made use of from time to time and that has experienced a revival in the World Music era. However, what above all distinguishes Swedish jazz from that of other countries is its historical background, rather than the character of the music itself. During the last sixty years or so it has attained a remarkably high artistic standard, stimulated by domestic as well as external influences and experiences. Swedish jazz of the early 21st century has tremendous breadth and variety, encompassing top quality representatives of many styles - from ragtime and New Orleans jazz to experiments unfettered by formal boundaries.