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Jan Garbarek
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Mysen, Oslo, Norway
Jan Garbarek (born March 4, 1947 in Mysen, Norway) a Norwegian tenor and soprano saxophonist, active in the jazz, classical, and world music genres. Garbarek was the only child of former Polish prisoner of war, and a Norwegian farmer’s daughter. Garbarek grew up in Oslo. At 21, he married Vigdis. Their daughter Anja Garbarek is also a musician.
Garbarek’s sound is one of the hallmarks of the ECM record label, which has released virtually all of his recordings. His style incorporates a sharp-edged tone, long, keening, sustained notes strongly reminiscent of Islamic prayer calls, 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 Othello Ballet Suite and Electronic Sonata for Souls Loved by Nature). If he had initially appeared as a devotee of Albert Ayler and Peter Brötzmann, by 1973 he had turned his back on the harsh dissonances of avant-garde jazz, retaining only his tone from his previous approach.
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. This textural approach, which rejects traditional notions of thematic improvisation (best exemplified by Sonny Rollins) in favor of a style described by critics Richard Cook and Brian Morton as “sculptural in its impact”, has been critically divisive. Garbarek’s more meandering recordings are often labeled as new age music, a style generally scorned by more orthodox jazz musicians and listeners, or spiritual ancestors thereof.
Garbarek’s sound is one of the hallmarks of the ECM record label, which has released virtually all of his recordings. His style incorporates a sharp-edged tone, long, keening, sustained notes strongly reminiscent of Islamic prayer calls, 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 Othello Ballet Suite and Electronic Sonata for Souls Loved by Nature). If he had initially appeared as a devotee of Albert Ayler and Peter Brötzmann, by 1973 he had turned his back on the harsh dissonances of avant-garde jazz, retaining only his tone from his previous approach.
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. This textural approach, which rejects traditional notions of thematic improvisation (best exemplified by Sonny Rollins) in favor of a style described by critics Richard Cook and Brian Morton as “sculptural in its impact”, has been critically divisive. Garbarek’s more meandering recordings are often labeled as new age music, a style generally scorned by more orthodox jazz musicians and listeners, or spiritual ancestors thereof.
Top Albums
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In Praise of Dreams
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Visible World
Jan GarbarekBuy- Download Album
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Rites
Jan GarbarekBuy- Download Album
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I Took Up The Runes
Jan Garbarek
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Shoutbox
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fletchercomms wrote:
If you like Jan, I think you may like this guy too. http://www.last.fm/music/Calum+Marshall Mags x
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leupard wrote:
Es fantástico!!!
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Uchot wrote:
He is a great master. His Visible World never ceases to amaze me. Wonderful album when you need to chillout after tireing day.
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Margo53 wrote:
oh so wonderful music!
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barrospablito wrote:
Meu saxofonista preferido, depois de Coltrane.
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sinestezikerkin wrote:
generous use of silence... so true
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TheBladeRunner_ wrote:
"In Praise of Dreams" is really good
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pjbury wrote:
I heard him play with 3 fantastic other musicians in Tolmezzo: the sound of his forthcoming album!
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echo-wrapping wrote:
one of the best
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xdreaminglaurax wrote:
I like his song Aichuri, the man song so much. it's seems you can't find it here, but i think you should listen to it!
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zero85 wrote:
wlasnie najwiekszym minusem stylu gry tego kolesia jest to ze gra tak slodko :P mnie osobiscie to meczy. I was listening to his albums when I was in high school, but for my his music is to much "sweety" it almost reminds me Kenny G who is the biggest shit in music that ever happend ;). Kenny G ist scheisse !!!
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Napalmer wrote:
скачаю-ка че нить послушать его
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sankathi wrote:
awesome stuff.
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Nauta2 wrote:
Czy was nie odstrasza fakt, że facet w tym wieku zarabia na życie trzymaniem w ustach rożnych twardych, wygiętych i połyskujących drągali?
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bolsabis wrote:
What a interesting musician!
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bloodsome wrote:
kocham jego muzykę. Ma wiele świetnych albumów, wcześniejsze nieco ciekawsze ale Visible World poprzez swoją delikatność i melancholijną subtelność jakoś najbardziej zapisuje się w sercu, choć jak nadmieniłem - niemalże cała jego twórczość z jaką do tej pory się zetknąłem chwyta mnie za duszę...
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kkkopernik wrote:
:)
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MirkoFait wrote:
I like his music :)
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marcfantin wrote:
So good Jan I love this.... Marc
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Skikongen wrote:
awesome - purely awesome
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Events
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Jan
14
Celtic Connections 2010
Glasgow (various venues), Glasgow, United Kingdom
4 shouts
| 58 attendees
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Mar
1
Jan Garbarek
Wiener Konzerthaus, Vienna, Austria
Add shout
| 9 attendees
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Mar
3
Jan Garbarek
Posthof, Linz, Austria
Add shout
| 3 attendees
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Recent Activity
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gdilger, wrzlbrmpft3334, firstabel and 14 other people added Jan Garbarek to their libraries. 26 minutes ago
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SantaEvita tagged Jan Garbarek with contemporary jazz, saxophone and jazz. Saturday evening
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frugileg, bageus, redtemba and 26 other people added Jan Garbarek to their libraries. Saturday evening
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Islandfree wrote about Jan Garbarek – In Praise of Dreams in My new CD albums (and remastered editions) bought in 2009. Friday evening
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trichopsis tagged Jan Garbarek with jazz and saxophone. 7 days ago
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trichopsis added Jan Garbarek to trichopsis’s library. 7 days ago
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siya_vosh, Luedefrau, mvonlonski and 1 other person added Jan Garbarek to their libraries. 7 days ago
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siya_vosh tagged Jan Garbarek with ‘saxophone’. 7 days ago
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sebastiaan_j added Jan Garbarek to the lineup of Utrecht Jazz Fest 2010 at Various Locations. 7 days ago
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spaceglider_x, Karesz1h and azur123 added Jan Garbarek to their libraries. 7 days ago
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Groups (62)
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Jan Garbarek
45 members
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Northern Music Journey
60 members
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Europas Jazz
46 members
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Spiritual Jazz
25 members
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Contemporary Jazz
155 members
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