Langendorf United is the star-studded ensemble led by saxophonist Lina Langendorf, celebrated for both their debut album and electrifying live performances. By embracing a rich diversity of musical traditions with both tenderness and boldness, the band merges these influences into innovative, genre-blurring expressions. They craft a futuristic soundscape in constant motion, blending melancholic Nordic and Ethiopian jazz with psychedelic Malian blues and infectious Afrobeat rhythms. Together, these unique elements create an organic and irresistibly groovy rhythm that will have you moving!Manifest Award-winning Langendorf United is led by saxophonist and composer Lina Langendorf and brings together some of the leading voices of the Scandinavian contemporary jazz scene: Daniel Binget on keys and guitar, Martin Hederos on keys and viola, Ole Morten Vågan on bass, and Andreas Werliin on drums (Tonbruket, Fire!, Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, Wildbirds and Peacedrums, Berit in Space). The band inhabits a musical landscape where spiritual jazz, afrobeat, psychedelia, and Ethio-jazz intersect and coalesce into a distinctive, unified sound. Their music draws on the melancholic tones of Nordic and Ethiopian jazz, infused with elements of psychedelic Malian blues and the rhythmic drive of afrobeat, forming an organic and ever-evolving whole.
At its core is Lina Langendorf, an award-winning composer and multi-instrumentalist with a wide-ranging musical background spanning jazz, reggae, Malian blues, Ethio-jazz, pop, rock, and Balkan music. Her work has been featured by international outlets such as Songlines Magazine, Aquarium Drunkard, and the BBC, and she has earned praise from Mulatu Astatke and Abegasu Shiota for her original and highly personal approach to Ethio-jazz.
“Now is the time for a wider audience to recognize just how unique and extraordinary this artist is—and how exceptional Langendorf United truly are as a band. For festival and club programmers seeking music that is both deeply grooving and profoundly personal, the choice should be clear.” – Lira Music Magazine on Langendorf United’s release concert at Fasching, 2025
Together, the group creates a tightly knit musical interplay where curiosity, playfulness, humour, and gravity run throughout. Their expression shifts between the lyrical and the raw, between introspection and intensity, with a strong emphasis on rhythm, presence, and a dynamic collective voice.
Langendorf United made their debut in 2023 with the album Yeahno Yowouw Land, which quickly garnered international attention through sold-out performances and critical acclaim. The album was named one of the year’s best by Songlines Magazine and received the 2024 Manifest Award for Album of the Year in the Rhythm category. Their follow-up, Undercover Beast, released in September 2025, further develops the band’s distinctive and cohesive musical identity.
In 2024, Langendorf United received the Manifest Award for Album of the Year (Rhythm) for their debut Yeahno Yowouw Land, and at the end of 2025 they released their new album Undercover Beast. In 2026, the group is nominated for two Manifest Awards as well as a Swedish Grammis.
On stage:
Lina Langendorf – saxophone
Daniel Binget – keys, guitar
Martin Hederos – keys, viola
Ole Morten Vågan – bass
Andreas Werliin – drums
