Unfortunately, the fervour of the modern Swedish jazz scene is not matched by a similar interest from the media or from a larger audience. In spite of state support to musicians and concert arrangers alike, Swedish jazz still struggles under the cold star of hardship. Few musicians can earn a decent living purely by playing jazz: out of the large number that try, very few attain anything more than a very modest material standard.

In practice, prevailing conditions mean that it is the jazz musicians themselves who are the biggest and most important supporters of this form of music. In comparison with the Royal Opera in Stockholm, where every ticket is state-subsidised to the tune of considerable sums (about 90 percent of the actual cost), every ticket to a jazz event is subsidised by the musicians, who rarely (if ever) manage to earn a reasonable income from their work.

As in other European countries, jazz musicians find it difficult to compete with American stars and groups who dominate the major festivals as well as the production of record albums.

However, there is a strong sense of self-esteem and a high level of artistic morale in Swedish jazz, two important factors in maintaining a high class of musical performance, even by international standards.