GIA Publications - Artist - Källman, Sten

Sten Källman (b. 1952 in Katrineholm, Sweden) began his musical training in the Congregationalist Church as a singer and classical flute player. At eighteen years old, he lived in Haiti for one year and was stunned (coming from the developed world) to discover the richness and complexity of the culture in one of the world’s poorest countries.

After completing his music studies at the University of Gothenburg (where he is now a professor of world music), Sten began a career as a freelance musician playing flute, saxophone, percussion, and singing in a wide variety of bands and choirs. Sten has returned to Haiti several times to study, work, and tour. He has made it his priority to embrace the music of both Haiti and Scandinavia, seeking the crossroads where all cultures meet. He has introduced Haitian music to the West through his choral arrangements, first performed and recorded by Amanda, a Swedish choir, and now embraced and performed worldwide.

Sten’s all-Swedish Voudou Band, Simbi (in Haitian called “the blue-eyed Haitians”), has toured extensively in Europe, Africa, and North America, and was the only non-Haitian band invited by President Arestide to play at the 200th Anniversary Celebration of Haiti’s Independence.