Jan Garbarek

Jan Garbarek (born 4 March 1947) is a Norwegian jazz saxophonist, who is also active in classical music and world music.

Garbarek was born in Mysen, Østfold, southeastern Norway, the only child of a former Polish prisoner of war, Czesław Garbarek, and a Norwegian woman, Kari Nordbø. He grew up in Oslo, stateless until the age of seven, as there was no automatic grant of citizenship in Norway at the time. When he was 21, he married the author Vigdis Garbarek. He is the father of musician and composer Anja Garbarek.

Biography Garbarek's style incorporates a sharp-edged tone, long, keening, sustained notes, and generous use of silence. He began his recording career in the late 1960s, notably featuring on recordings by the American jazz composer George Russell (such as Electronic Sonata for Souls Loved by Nature). By 1973 he had turned his back on the harsh dissonances of avant-garde jazz, retaining only his tone from his previous approach. Garbarek gained wider recognition through his work with pianist Keith Jarrett's European Quartet which released the albums Belonging (1974), My Song (1977), and the live recordings Personal Mountains (recorded in 1979 but released only a decade later in 1989), and Nude Ants (1979).

As a composer, Garbarek tends to draw heavily from Scandinavian folk melodies, a legacy of his Ayler influence. He is also a pioneer of ambient jazz composition, most notably on his 1976 album Dis, a collaboration with guitarist Ralph Towner,

Memberships Garbarek is foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music.

Discography As leader/co-leader

1967: Til Vigdis (Norsk Jazzforbund, 1967) 1969: Esoteric Circle (Flying Dutchman, 1971) 1970: Afric Pepperbird (ECM, 1971) 1970: Hav with Jan Erik Vold (Philips, 1971) 1971: Sart with Terje Rypdal (ECM, 1971) 1973: Triptykon (ECM, 1973) 1974: Witchi-Tai-To with Bobo Stenson (ECM, 1974) 1976: Dansere with Bobo Stenson (ECM, 1976) 1977: Dis with Ralph Towner (ECM, 1977) 1978: Places with Bill Connors (ECM, 1978) 1979: Photo with Blue Sky, White Cloud, Wires, Windows and a Red Roof with Bill Connors (ECM, 1979) 1980: Aftenland with Kjell Johnsen (ECM, 1980) 1981: Eventyr with John Abercrombie and Naná Vasconcelos (ECM, 1981) 1982: Paths, Prints with Bill Frisell (ECM, 1982) 1983: Wayfarer with Bill Frisell and Eberhard Weber (ECM, 1983) 1985: It's OK to Listen to the Gray Voice with David Torn (ECM, 1985) 1987: All Those Born with Wings (ECM, 1987) 1988: Legend of the Seven Dreams with Rainer Brüninghaus (ECM, 1988) 1989: with Agnes Buen Garnås (ECM, 1989) 1990: I Took Up the Runes (ECM, 1990) 1990: Ragas and Sagas with Ustad Fateh Ali Khan (ECM, 1992) 1991: StAR with Miroslav Vitouš (ECM, 1991) 1992: Stemmer with Vigdis Garbarek (NRK, 1992) 1992: Madar with Anouar Brahem and Shaukat Hussain (ECM, 1994) 1992: Twelve Moons (ECM, 1993) 1994: Officium with the Hilliard Ensemble (ECM, 1994) – live 1994: Trollsyn (TrollCD, 1994) – for promotion 1995: Visible World (ECM, 1996) 1998: Rites (ECM, 1998) 1998: Mnemosyne with the Hilliard Ensemble (ECM, 1999) 2003: In Praise of Dreams (ECM, 2004) 2003: Dresden (ECM, 2009) – live 2009: Officium Novum with the Hilliard Ensemble (ECM, 2010) – live 2014: Remember Me, My Dear with the Hilliard Ensemble (ECM, 2019)

As sideman

With Charlie Haden and Egberto Gismonti Magico (ECM, 1980) Folk Songs (ECM, 1981) Magico: Carta de Amor (ECM, 2012)

With Keith Jarrett 1974: Belonging (ECM, 1974) 1974: Luminessence (ECM, 1975) 1975: Arbour Zena (ECM, 1976) 1977: My Song (ECM, 1978) 1979: Personal Mountains (ECM, 1989) 1979: Sleeper (ECM, 2012) 1979: Nude Ants (ECM, 1980)

With Eleni Karaindrou Music For Films (ECM, 1991) Concert in Athens (ECM, 2013)

With Karin Krog Jazz Moments (Sonet, 1966) Joy (Sonet, 1968)

With Gary Peacock December Poems (ECM, 1977) Voice from the Past - Paradigm (ECM, 1981) Guamba (ECM, 1987)

With Terje Rypdal Bleak House (Polydor, 1968) Terje Rypdal (ECM, 1971)

With George Russell Electronic Sonata for Souls Loved by Nature (Flying Dutchman, 1969) Trip to Prillarguri (Soul Note, 1970) Listen to the Silence (Soul Note, 1971)

With L. Shankar Vision (ECM, 1984) – rec. 1983 Song for Everyone (ECM, 1985) – rec. 1984

With Ralph Towner Solstice (ECM, 1975) Solstice/Sound and Shadows (ECM, 1977)

With Jan Erik Vold Hav (Philips, 1971) Ingentings Bjeller (Polydor, 1977)

With Miroslav Vitouš Atmos (ECM, 1993) – rec. 1992 Universal Syncopations (ECM, 2003)

With Eberhard Weber Chorus (ECM, 1984) Stages of a Long Journey (ECM, 2007) Résumé (ECM, 2012) Hommage à Eberhard Weber (ECM, 2015)

With others Bill Connors, Of Mist and Melting (ECM, 1977) David Darling, Cycles (ECM, 1981) Paul Giger, Alpstein (ECM, 1991) Egberto Gismonti, Sol Do Meio Dia (ECM, 1977) Trilok Gurtu, Living Magic (CMP, 1991) Zakir Hussain, Making Music (ECM, 1986) Giya Kancheli, Caris Mere (ECM, 1995) Kim Kashkashian, Monodia (ECM, 2004) Manu Katché, Neighbourhood (ECM, 2005) Art Lande, Red Lanta (ECM, 1974) Marilyn Mazur, Elixir (ECM, 2008) Kenny Wheeler, Deer Wan (ECM, 1978)