Album Notes

Christmas Jazz
The Mariah Hortans / M Sandberg Duo debut album “Christmas Jazz” will definitely get you into the Christmas spirit in style. Classical Christmas compositions by Sibelius and Schubert are interwoven with traditional Nordic Christmas carols, songs and hymns and even a song from the animated children’s cartoon “A Charlie Brown Christmas”. The songs are sung in English, Finnish and Swedish, and have been rearranged and harmonized with the jazzy harmonies, swinging rhythms and melodic improvisation the duo has become known for.

Please check out Carol Swanson's CD review at www.christmasreviews.com

Mariah Hortans / M Sandberg Duo
Jazz vocalist Mariah Hortans and guitarist Mathias Sandberg have quickly created a niche on the Finnish music scene. Their music, which can be described as cool, intimate, traditional vocal jazz is performed completely live with just one voice and one guitar.
The duo have performed extensively in Finland during the last couple of years and done two successful USA tours with concert in New York, Philadephia, and Washington DC.

Mariah Hortans is a well respected singer and educator. She graduated from Pietarsaari Conservatory in 2006 and has since kept a busy teaching schedule as well as conducting choirs.
Jazz guitarist Mathias Sandberg is one of the most in demand musicians in Ostrobothnia. He has studied at Manhattan Scool of Music in NYC and Berklee College of Music in Boston, and has been teaching at all the major music schools, institutes and colleges in Ostrobothnia. Georg Riedel, LaGaylia Frazier, Geir Rönning, Pierre Swärd and Antti Rissanen are some of the artists he has worked with.