The idea that a successful musical life — or any life at all, really — should be lived with integrity to one’s values is not a novel concept. For musicians, the quest for truth and authenticity can be especially fraught. The allure of success, the thirst for acceptance, or the corrosive toll of low self-esteem can skew our priorities, diverting us from the path as we chase ego-reinforcing approbation. Knowing how hard it is, we tend to most admire the musicians whose confidence and determination seems to make them immune to trend-chasing — those who seem to embody real artistry and make self-expression the driving force in their lives. Jonas Hellborg is such a musician. In an iconoclastic career spanning over four decades, Hellborg has consistently remained true to himself, with a body of work that includes boundary-pushing collaboration with towering icons John McLaughlin, Ginger Baker, Bill Laswell, Shawn Lane, V. Selvaganesh, and many more. Hellborg’s fidelity to his