09.03.2010
ACT head Siggi Loch receives knighthood

Siggi Loch receives Swedish knighthood: Ruth Jacoby (ambassador) and Siggi Loch - © Anja Grabert

On Monday 8th March 2010 German music manager Siggi Loch received a very special honour: for his services to Swedish culture in Germany, Sweden’s King Carl XVI. Gustaf named him Knight 1st Class of the Order of the Nordstjärneorden. The order was presented to him by the Swedish ambassador, Ruth Jacoby, in her residence in Berlin.

“Siegfried Loch has done more for Swedish jazz in the world than anyone else. It is a great honour for me today to be able to present him with this much deserved order,” said ambassador Jacoby.

The list of Swedish artists who work with Siggi Loch is long. Nils Landgren, Lars Danielsson, e.s.t. Esbjörn Svensson Trio, Rigmor Gustafsson, Jan Lundgren, Ida Sand, Viktoria Tolstoy, Josefine Cronholm, Ulf Wakenius, Oddjob and Dan Berglund represent, with their CDs, a large part of the ACT catalogue and, with the support of Siggi Loch, they have all had successful careers not only in Germany but also throughout the whole of Europe and America. ACT is today the most successful label for Swedish jazz.

2010 is a special year for Siggi Loch, ACT label boss and passionate music producer. In January he celebrated his 50th anniversary in the music industry for which he was honoured with a special concert at the world’s most important music trade fair, the MIDEM in Cannes.

The album “e.s.t. live in Hamburg” which was released by Loch and for which he first had to persuade Esbjörn Svensson to agree, was declared the best “Jazz album of the decade” by London’s Times newspaper. And, mentally, Loch is preparing for his 70th birthday in August.

Siggi Loch: “I accept this award with great thanks. If I had the talent to be able to make music myself, on a high level, I would like to be able to play like my Swedish artists. They have the special skill of being able to combine American jazz with their own musical culture whilst developing their own individual musical language in doing so. They also distinguish themselves with their high degree of professionalism and the credible wish to make music not only for themselves but also always for their public.”

The Order of the Nordstjärneorden has been awarded since 1748. Famous holders include H.C. Andersen (1848), Greta Garbo (1983) and Susan Sontag (2004). German holders of the Order of the Polar Star include Wolf Lepenies, Christoph and Wilhelm Krull.

Back to Main Page