Jan Garbarek
@ Southbank Centre's / Royal festival Hall
18 November 2007

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Biography

Norwegian born Jan Garbarek was initially inspired after listening to John Coltrane on the radio. Born on 4 March 1947, Garbarek taught himself to play tenor saxophone (subsequently adding soprano and bass saxophone). In 1962 he won an amateur competition, which resulted in his first professional work, and he was soon leading a group with Jon Christensen, Terje Rypdal and Arild Andersen. In 1968 he was the Norwegian representative at the European Broadcasting Union festival, and the recordings of this (notably an impressive version of Coltrane's “Naima”) brought him to wider notice when they were transmitted throughout Europe.

Garbarek joined the ECM Label in the early 1970’s and worked in Jarrett's 'Belonging' band with Christensen and Danielsson, recording the much praised “Belonging” and “My Song”, he also played with Ralph Towner on “Solstice” and Sounds And Shadows. In the 1980’s his own groups have featured Eberhard Weber, Bill Frisell and John Abercrombie among others.

Garbarek’s diverse musical interests have led him to work with musicians from many genres such as Ravi Shankar, folk singer Agnes Buen Gurnas and classical singer Usted Fateh Ali Khan, Chick Corea and Don Cherry to name a few.

Garbarek has built a strong following, selling out shows and impressing critics across the globe. His compositions, solo recordings and collaborations (specifically with Keith Jarrett) have further cemented his position as an innovative saxophone virtuoso.