Jan Garbarek Norwegian jazz saxophonist Country: Norway

1. Jan Garbarek: A Jazz Innovator
2. Early Influences
3. The ECM Years
4. Exploring Folklore
5. Collaborations and Innovations
6. The Jan Garbarek Group

Jan Garbarek: A Jazz Innovator

Jan Garbarek, a Norwegian jazz saxophonist, has defined the direction of jazz music for many years, not only in Europe but also in other parts of the world. He was one of the first to combine the improvisational language of jazz with the musical folklore of his own country. Born in Norway, Garbarek was captivated by the radio performance of the greatest saxophonist of the 50s and 60s, John Coltrane, at the age of 14. Even before owning his own instrument, he bought a saxophone tutorial and already knew the finger positions for playing. Garbarek absorbed new music like a sponge.

Early Influences

Garbarek discovered that his idol, Coltrane, had an interest in Eastern music. He began listening to it and discovered a whole new musical world that he hadn't known existed before. He followed Coltrane's drift towards jazz avant-garde and started listening to prominent representatives of the exploratory directions of jazz, some of whom had a huge influence on him, such as Albert Ayler. In the early 60s, many prominent jazz musicians visited Norway, and Garbarek listened to all of them and even sought opportunities to learn from them. Don Cherry, who combined radical free jazz with influences from folk music from around the world, particularly impressed him. However, the most significant role in Garbarek's creative development was played by the American pianist, composer, and theorist George Russell. Russell not only invited the 18-year-old Garbarek to participate in his recordings but also patiently enlightened him.

The ECM Years

A new era for Garbarek began in 1969 when he met West German producer Manfred Eicher, who was starting his own label and came to Norway in search of talent. Garbarek's first album on ECM, "Afric Pepperbird," was released in 1970 and marked a turning point not only in his personal history but also in European jazz as a whole. The young Norwegians with their unconventional thinking, fresh sound, and overwhelming flow of ideas burst onto the world stage, becoming the main creative force of Eicher's ECM label for many years. ECM, in turn, became the main force in European jazz for nearly two decades. Garbarek's music determined the direction in which a significant number of jazz musicians in Europe and other parts of the world moved, as he was one of the first to merge the improvisational language of jazz with the musical folklore of his own country.

Exploring Folklore

As Garbarek began to explore the authentic folk music of Norway, he was amazed to discover that just a few kilometers away from modern Oslo, millennia-old melodies and ancient singing techniques with genetic connections to ancient and contemporary music from distant regions, such as Asia Minor and even India, could be heard. He immersed himself in this world and merged it with the musical language of modernity, presenting the ancient melodies of Northern Europe with the most innovative and unconventional playing techniques. These works, recorded with the fantastic sound quality characteristic of ECM, became defining for an entire era.

Collaborations and Innovations

Garbarek drew inspiration not only from Norwegian folklore but also from collaborating with musicians from different countries, seeking to immerse himself in the musical heritage of their cultures. Indian violinist L. Shankar was impressed by how easily Garbarek mastered the complex structure of Indian music. Czech bassist Miroslav Vitous wrote Slavic melodies for his collaboration with Garbarek and was pleased with how "Slavic" Garbarek's playing sounded on the album (not surprising, as Garbarek has a significant amount of Polish blood). In later years, Garbarek became interested in combining improvisational saxophone with the sounds of classical and contemporary academic music. He included recordings made with Georgian, Estonian, Greek, and Native American musicians in his albums.

The Jan Garbarek Group

However, his main project remained the Jan Garbarek Group, with whom he has performed at festivals worldwide for decades. The group includes the outstanding German double bassist Eberhard Weber, with whom Garbarek has collaborated since 1974. On drums, there is the unique Danish percussionist Marilyn Mazur, who has both Polish and African American blood, and is one of the most interesting and extravagant drummers in contemporary jazz. Finally, on keyboards, there is the German Rainer Brüninghaus, who has been recording with Garbarek since 1988.