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Jan Garbarek

Country: Norway

Jan Garbarek is a Norwegian saxophonist, born in Mysen in 1947 and raised in Oslo. His playing, with its hard-edged tone, long sustained notes and use of silence, moves between jazz, classical and world music. Most of his work has been released by ECM, and his 1994 album Officium with the Hilliard Ensemble became one of the label's best-selling records. Garbarek began recording in the late 1960s, notably with George Russell on Electronic Sonata for Souls Loved by Nature. His first ECM album as leader was Afric Pepperbird.

Song For Everyone (LP)
Original German edition on ECM of the 1985 jazz/electronic/Indian music fusion album by the Indian violinist with Jan Garbarek, Zakit Hussain and Trilok Gurtu.
Rites
Jan Garbarek's 1998 double album with Rainer Bruninghaus, Eberhard Weber, Marilyn Mazur and Bugge Wesseltoft, on vinyl for the first time in ECM's Luminessence series: tip-on gatefold jacket with booklet.
ECM Special (LP)
Original edition on ECM / Trio Jazz Mania of the 1973 Japan-only compilation. With insert and obi.
ECM Special (LP)
Original edition on ECM / Trio Jazz Mania of the 1973 Japan-only compilation. With insert.
In Praise of Dreams
Jan Garbarek crafts a brooding, electronic-tinged song without words, with violist Kim Kashkashian and drummer Manu Katché. Spacious, hypnotic and cinematic; ambient chamber music, unmistakably ECM.
Places
A cornerstone of the early Nordic ECM sound: Jan Garbarek's keening saxophone over shifting, atmospheric backdrops, with John Taylor, Bill Connors and Jack DeJohnette. Glacial, majestic, carved from northern light.
Officium
ECM's landmark cross-over: Jan Garbarek's saxophone improvising around medieval and Renaissance chant sung by The Hilliard Ensemble, recorded in a monastery. Sublime, meditative and utterly unclassifiable.
My Song
My Song is the beloved high point of the so-called "European" or "Belonging" quartet led by pianist Keith Jarrett, and one of the most cherished albums in the ECM catalogue. Recorded in 1977, it unites Jarrett with three of Scandinavia's finest music…
Of Mist And Melting
In December 1977, at the tail end of a decade he had helped to electrify, Bill Connors brought a nylon-string guitar into Oslo's Talent Studio. Three years earlier, he had walked away from Chick Corea's Return to Forever at the height of its commerci…
Hav
2025 stock Jan Erik Vold and Jan Garbarek, two of Norway's most prominent jazz figures, teamed up with bassist Arild Andersen, drummer Jon Christensen, guitarist Terje Rypdal and Bobo Stenson on keyboards on those two September days in 1970 to create…
I Took Up The Runes
One of the Norwegian saxophonists most outgoing dates, the best-selling “Runes” also marked the first appearance of Manu Katché with the Jan Garbarek group. Centerpiece of the album is the five-part “Molde Canticle”.
Luminessence
Mysterious, dramatic and alluring, Luminessence comes from a peak period in the creative association between Keith Jarrett and Jan Garbarek, recorded in 1974, immediately after their vibrant Belonging album. Here, Jarrett creates shimmering orchestra…
Belonging
Tip! "Belonging is a studio album by American jazz pianist Keith Jarrett, recorded over two days in April 1974 and released on ECM later that year—the debut of Jarrett's "European Quartet", featuring saxophonist Jan Garbarek and rhythm section Palle …
Mnemosyne
Double album by Jan Garbarek (soprano and tenor saxophones) and The Hilliard Ensemble: early, ancient Greek and folk vocal music with improvisation, recorded April 1998 at Propstei St. Gerold, Austria, produced by Manfred Eicher.
Sleeper
Complete concert by Keith Jarrett's European Quartet with Jan Garbarek, Palle Danielsson and Jon Christensen, recorded at Nakano Sun Plaza, Tokyo, on 16 April 1979 and first released by ECM in 2012 as a double CD.
Carta de Amor
Live double album by the trio of Jan Garbarek (saxophones), Egberto Gismonti (guitars, piano) and Charlie Haden (double bass), recorded at the Amerika Haus in Munich in April 1981 and first released by ECM in 2012.
Nude Ants
Keith Jarrett's European quartet with Jan Garbarek, Palle Danielsson and Jon Christensen, live at the Village Vanguard, New York, May 1979: six Jarrett compositions on 2CD, produced by Manfred Eicher.
Dansere
Three early Jan Garbarek albums on 3CD: Sart (quintet with Bobo Stenson, Terje Rypdal, Jon Christensen, recorded Oslo 1971), Witchi-Tai-To (1973) and Dansere (1975) by the Garbarek-Stenson Quartet with Palle Danielsson and Christensen. Produced by Ma…
Remember me, my dear
Live recording from the October 2014 farewell tour of Jan Garbarek (soprano saxophone) and The Hilliard Ensemble, made in the Collegiata dei Santi Pietro e Stefano, Bellinzona: Komitas, Pérotin, Hildegard von Bingen, Brumel, Pärt, Kedrov and Garbarek…
Concert in Athens
Live recording of Eleni Karaindrou's theatre and film music with guests Kim Kashkashian (viola) and Jan Garbarek (tenor saxophone), oboist Vangelis Christopoulos and the Camerata Orchestra under Alexandros Myrat, Megaron, Athens, 19 November 2010.
Officium Novum
Third album by Jan Garbarek (soprano and tenor saxophones) and The Hilliard Ensemble, centred on Armenian sacred music arranged by Komitas, with chant, Pérotin and Pärt. Recorded at Propstei St. Gerold in summer 2009.
Atmos
Duo album by Miroslav Vitous (double bass) and Jan Garbarek (tenor and soprano saxophones), with seven Vitous compositions and two joint improvisations. Recorded February 1992 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo, produced by Manfred Eicher.
Guamba
Gary Peacock (double bass) with Jan Garbarek (tenor and soprano saxophones), Palle Mikkelborg (trumpet, flugelhorn) and Peter Erskine (drums, drum computer), playing Peacock's compositions. Recorded March 1987 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo.
Witchi-Tai-To
Album by the Jan Garbarek-Bobo Stenson Quartet, with Palle Danielsson (bass) and Jon Christensen (drums), playing tunes by Carla Bley, Don Cherry, Jim Pepper and others. Recorded in November 1973 at Arne Bendiksen Studio, Oslo, released by ECM in 197…
Red Lanta
Duo album by pianist Art Lande and Jan Garbarek (flutes, soprano and bass saxophone), all compositions by Lande, recorded in November 1973 at Arne Bendiksen Studio, Oslo, and released by ECM in 1974.
Neighbourhood
Manu Katché's first album as leader for ECM: ten of his compositions played with Jan Garbarek (tenor saxophone), Tomasz Stańko (trumpet), Marcin Wasilewski (piano) and Sławomir Kurkiewicz (double bass). Recorded March and November 2004, Rainbow Studi…
Visible World
Jan Garbarek album of 15 original pieces, many first written for film and ballet, with Rainer Brüninghaus, Eberhard Weber, Marilyn Mazur, Manu Katché, Trilok Gurtu and Mari Boine. Recorded June 1995, Rainbow Studio, Oslo. ECM 1585, 1996.
Madar
Jan Garbarek (tenor and soprano saxophone), Anouar Brahem (oud) and Ustad Shaukat Hussain (tabla), recorded August 1992 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo, produced by Manfred Eicher. ECM 1515, released 1994.
Rosensfole
Medieval Norwegian ballads sung by Agnes Buen Garnås, arranged by Jan Garbarek for saxophones, synthesizers and percussion. Recorded September-December 1988 at Bel Studio, Oslo, produced by Garbarek and Manfred Eicher. CD, ECM 1402, 1989.
Personal Mountains
Concert recording by Keith Jarrett's European quartet with Jan Garbarek, Palle Danielsson and Jon Christensen, made in Tokyo in April 1979 and released by ECM in 1989. Five Jarrett originals.
Paths, Prints
Quartet album by Jan Garbarek (saxophones, wood flutes, percussion) with Bill Frisell (guitar), Eberhard Weber (bass) and Jon Christensen (drums), recorded in December 1981 at Talent Studio, Oslo, produced by Manfred Eicher and released by ECM in 198…
Eventyr
Trio album by Jan Garbarek (saxophones, flutes), John Abercrombie (electric guitars, mandolin guitar) and Naná Vasconcelos (berimbau, percussion, voice), recorded in December 1980 at Talent Studio, Oslo, produced by Manfred Eicher and released by ECM…
Magico
Trio album by Charlie Haden (double bass), Jan Garbarek (tenor and soprano saxophones) and Egberto Gismonti (guitars, piano), recorded in June 1979 at Talent Studio, Oslo, produced by Manfred Eicher and released by ECM in 1980.
Dis
Jan Garbarek (tenor and soprano saxophones, wood flute) in duo with Ralph Towner (12-string and classical guitars), with a windharp on three tracks and Den Norske Messingsekstett on one. Recorded in December 1976 at Talent Studios, Oslo, released by …
Triptykon
Free improvisation trio of Jan Garbarek (saxophones, flute), Arild Andersen (bass) and Edward Vesala (percussion), recorded 8 November 1972 at Arne Bendiksen Studio, Oslo, produced by Manfred Eicher. Released April 1973. CD edition.