Jonas Knutsson
Fusing together be-bop, big band, folk and world influences, Swedish saxophone player Jonas Knutsson's smooth, free-flowing, improvised style has made him a well-respected fixture on Europe's jazz scene since he first emerged in the early 1980s.
Born in the northern city of Umea, he grew up playing in school bands and the annual music festival hosted by his parents. He studied under the guidance of American saxophonist Sahid Shihab, before starting out his career with experimental rock band Cabazz. He also played with pianist Elise Einardotter's Ensemble, the avant-garde group Ennteli and the Stockholm Folk Big Band, and explored ideas from both jazz and traditional Nordic music on his debut solo album 'Vyer' in 1992.
Though often melodic and expressive, his sound flickered with a sparse, melancholy feel on follow-up albums 'View' and 'Lust', and his baritone saxophone playing drew comparisons with Ornette Coleman and Pharoah Sanders. His work in the 2000s as part of the trio Berger Knutsson Spering was equally experimental and obtuse, but his 2010 album 'Blaslatar' was nominated for a Swedish Grammy Award and he went on to form a quartet for 2014 album 'Foods'. In between teaching and conducting at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, he has also found time to collaborate with trombonist Nils Landren, poet Thomas Tidholm and singer/composer Lena Willemark.
©Copyright Music Story 2023
Discography
18 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Skaren: Norrland III
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on 26 Sep 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Cow Cow : Norrland II
Jonas Knutsson & Johan Norberg
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on 29 Aug 2005
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The First Wave of Silence
Jeanette Kohn, Lennart Simonsson, Jonas Knutsson
Classical - Released by Ladybird Production on 10 Nov 2023
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Orsa by Night
Thomas Tidholm, Jonas Knutsson
Pop - Released by Naxos Sweden - C&E on 11 Sep 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vaggvisor i oredans tid
Jeanette Kohn, Mats Bergstrom, Jonas Knutsson
Children - Released by Naxos Sweden - LB on 12 Nov 2021
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Alla drömmars sång
Lena Willemark, Jonas Knutsson, Mats Oberg
Contemporary Jazz - Released by Country and Eastern on 30 Apr 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Blue Blue
Bengt Berger, Jonas Knutsson, Christian Spering, Max Schultz
Jazz - Released by Country and Eastern on 11 Sep 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Äventyret
Thomas Tidholm, Jonas Knutsson
Pop - Released by Jonas Knutsson Musikproduktion AB on 10 Nov 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Saxofonboken
Educational - Released by Jonas Knutsson Musikproduktion AB on 25 Aug 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Så skimrande var aldrig havet
Jeanette Kohn, Mats Bergstrom, Jonas Knutsson
Classical - Released by Naxos Sweden - LB on 25 Jun 2021
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Kersti Lilla
Bengt Jonasson, Mårten Hillbom, Jonas Knutsson
Jazz - Released by O Records on 17 Sep 2021
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Så skimrande var aldrig havet
Jeanette Kohn, Mats Bergstrom, Jonas Knutsson, Evert Taube
Classical - Released by Ladybird Production on 25 Jun 2021
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vaggvisor i oredans tid
Jeanette Kohn, Mats Bergstrom, Jonas Knutsson
Humour/Spoken Word - Released by Ladybird Production on 12 Nov 2021
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Orsa by Night
Thomas Tidholm, Jonas Knutsson
Folk - Released by Country and Eastern on 11 Sep 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Will of One
Ecovillage, Jonas Knutsson, Laraaji, Oceananda
Ambient - To be released on 3 May 2024 by Lo Recordings
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo