duo Marcus Wärnheim (sax) & Jonathan Bäckström (bass)

The gentlemen create their own sound world through improvisation.

duo Marcus Wärnheim & Jonathan Bäckström

Swedish alto saxophonist Marcus Wärnheim and Finnish double bass player Jonathan Bäckström have been playing together as a duo since 2018. Through a long-lasting close collaborative process, they are consequently pushing the limits of the intimate duo setting, exploring sound by embracing the spontaneous, pre-determined and arbitrary.

Marcus Wärnheim is a Swedish alto saxophonist and improviser, currently based in Amsterdam. His artistic output is primarily based in a genuine curiosity of sound, which he works with through intense listening and a thorough research of the physical possibilities of his instrument. In recent years he has been preoccupied with acoustic solo performances, improvisational meetings, interpretation of other’s compositions as a sideman, as well as trans-disciplinary collaborations with dancers and circus artists.

Jonathan Bäckström is a Finnish double bassist and composer. He works within the broader spectrum of jazz, free improvisation and contemporary music. He is currently pursuing the master’s program at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. In 2024 he debuted as a leader on the Finnish record label We Jazz Records with a critically acclaimed quartet album. During the span of ten years, he has worked extensively as a side musician and freelancer both in Finland and internationally. With his compositional work, he is blending written material with free improvisation, aiming to create a microcosm that explores the relationship between performer and composer, fostering an environment of innovation and reflection.

https://on.soundcloud.com/i5BJ5xdXtSMkjH8v9.