Swedish pianist and composer Esbjorn Svensson died in a diving accident on Saturday June 14, 2008 aged 44. Our thoughts are with his mourning wife and children and his long time musical associates Dan Berglund and Magnus Ostrom.
Esbjorn Svensson was one of the most influential jazz artists in recent history and his band e.s.t. were considered one of the most successful jazz groups in Europe and beyond.
e.s.t. became famous for their innovative mix of jazz, contemporary rock and elements of classical music which drew both young and adult audiences to their concerts all over the world. Their albums regularly entered the jazz and the pop charts achieving numerous awards.
Esbjorn Svensson was born on April 16, 1964 in Vasteras, Sweden. His mother played classical piano, his father loved Ellington, and Svensson listened to the latest pop hits on the radio. In high school, Esbjorn played in his first bands, along with taking piano lessons for three years. There followed four years of musical studies at the University in Stockholm where Svensson developed the necessary technical craft to fully articulate his intuitive self-taught concepts. Thus, Svensson's carefree, youthful musical exuberance could mature into a creative self-awareness.
In 1993 Svensson founded e.s.t. together with his childhood friend Magnus Ostrom on drums and bassist Dan Berglund and from that point on concentrated completely on his work with this trio.
They had just finished working on their 12th and now final album Leucocyte.
We are mourning for a great artist, a wonderful person and a good friend.
Siggi Loch & the ACT family
Esbjorn Svensson was one of the most influential jazz artists in recent history and his band e.s.t. were considered one of the most successful jazz groups in Europe and beyond.
e.s.t. became famous for their innovative mix of jazz, contemporary rock and elements of classical music which drew both young and adult audiences to their concerts all over the world. Their albums regularly entered the jazz and the pop charts achieving numerous awards.
Esbjorn Svensson was born on April 16, 1964 in Vasteras, Sweden. His mother played classical piano, his father loved Ellington, and Svensson listened to the latest pop hits on the radio. In high school, Esbjorn played in his first bands, along with taking piano lessons for three years. There followed four years of musical studies at the University in Stockholm where Svensson developed the necessary technical craft to fully articulate his intuitive self-taught concepts. Thus, Svensson's carefree, youthful musical exuberance could mature into a creative self-awareness.
In 1993 Svensson founded e.s.t. together with his childhood friend Magnus Ostrom on drums and bassist Dan Berglund and from that point on concentrated completely on his work with this trio.
They had just finished working on their 12th and now final album Leucocyte.
We are mourning for a great artist, a wonderful person and a good friend.
Siggi Loch & the ACT family
For more information contact All About Jazz.
