Jan Garbarek

Jan Garbarek (March 4, 1947) is a Norwegian jazz musician, tenor and soprano saxophonist; he also plays the flute.

He has collaborated frequently with Keith Jarrett, Egberto Gismonti, Gary Peacock, Miroslav Vitous, Zakir Hussain, Charlie Haden, Anouar Brahem, and Ralph Towner. He has released almost all of his records on the ECM label.

Some of his pieces have been used to form part of film soundtracks. For example, Rites (from the 1998 Rites album) was adapted for The Insider, a Michael Mann film.

Your style within jazz can be described as stylized post-free "a la europea". The sound of his sax is clear and melancholic. However, his work transcends the merely jazz circuit and engages with traditional Hindu music, contemporary chamber music and even sacred music from the Renaissance. In this sense, his collaborations with The Hilliard Ensemble Officium (1993) and Mnemosyne (1999) stand out, where improvisations with Garbarek's saxophone are mixed with Gregorian chants. the Hilliard choir, and the interpretation of compositions by Arvo Pärt.

Main collaborators

• Keith Jarrett
• Gary Peacock
• Miroslav Vitouš
• Anouar Brahem
• Zakir Hussain
• Charlie Haden
• Ralph Towner
• David Torn
• Egberto Gismonti
• Manu Katché
• Naná Vasconcelos
• Eberhard Weber
• Terje Rypdal
• Bill Frisell
• Palle Danielsson
• Jon Christensen
• George Russell
• Bill Connors
• Ustad Bade Fateh Ali Khan
• Deeyah (Deepika Thathaal)
• Ustad Shaukat Hussain Khan
• Ustad Nazim Ali Khan
• Oystein Sevag

Discography in his name

• 1970: Afric Pepperbird
• 1971: Sart
• 1972: Tryptikon
• 1973: Witchi-Tai-To
• 1975: Dansere
• 1976: Dis
• 1977: Places
• 1978: Photo with...
• 1979: Aftenland
• 1980: Eventyr
• 1981: Paths, Prints,
• 1983: Wayfarer
• 1984: It's ok to listen to the gray voice
• 1986: All those born with wingsalone
• 1987: NightstageJan Garbarek Group
• 1988: Legend of the seven dreams,
• 1990: Ragas ans sagas
• 1990: I Took up the RunesJan Garbarek Group
• 1992: Twelve MoonsJan Garbarek Group
• 1992: Madar
• 1993: Officium
• 1996: Visible WorldJan Garbarek Group
• 1998: RitesJan Garbarek Group
• 1999: Mnemosyne
• 2003: In Praise of Dreams
• 2009: Dresden
• 2010: Officium Novum, The Hilliard Ensemble
• 2019: Remember Me, My Dear, The Hilliard Ensemble

Discography as sideman

• Terje Rypdal, 1971 (Terje Rypdal)
• Red Lanta1973 (Art Lande)
• Belonging1974 (Keith Jarrett)
• Luminessence1974 (Keith Jarrett)
• Solstice1974 (Ralph Towner)
• Arbour Zena1975 (Keith Jarrett)
• Sound and Shadows, 1977 (Ralph Towner)
• My Song, 1977 (Keith Jarrett)
• Deer Wan, 1977 (Kenny Wheeler)
• Sol Do Meio Dia, 1977 (Egberto Gismonti)
• December Poems(Gary Peacock)
• Of Mist And Melting, 1977 (Bill Connors)
• Staff Mountains1979 (Keith Jarrett)
• Nude Ants1979 (Keith Jarrett)
• Voice from the Past - Paradigm, 1981 (Gary Peacock)
• Cycles1981 (David Darling)
• Vision1983 (L. Shankar)
• Song For Everyone1984 (L. Shankar)
• Chorus1984 (Eberhard Weber)
• Making Music1986 (Zakir Hussain)
• The Beekeeper1986 (Eleni Karaindrou)
• Guamba, 1987 (Gary Peacock)
• Rosensfole, 1988 (Agnes Buen Garnas)
• Music For Films1990 (Eleni Karaindrou)
• Alpstein1990 (Paul Giger)
• Star, 1991 (Miroslav Vitous)
• Atmos, 1992 (Miroslav Vitous)
• Caris Mere1995 (Giya Kancheli)
• Universal Syncopations, 2003 (Miroslav Vitous)