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Ove Johansson

About Me

Ove Johansson, tenorsax, composer, has since the end of the fifties been leading his own groups and been a driving force of the Swedish jazz scene, he is also musical director of MWENDO DAWA. Although he has been very active on the Swedish jazz scene since several years his most rewarding efforts has been with MWENDO DAWA. Ove Johansson�s musical work stretches all the way from straight ahead, free form and electronic jazz to the acoustic and electro acoustical mix of today. With MWENDO DAWA he has been able to present his music throughout the world- both in Europe and North and South America, and he has produced 28 albums with his own material and with the group. The style of Ove Johansson has always been very personal with a powerful and intense performance and a rare sound and technique. Contrary to a lot of other players, he has not got caught in the style he began to play in, but has during the years all the time been renewing his own playing and musical expression as well as MWENDO DAWA�s. He is always in the frontline according to new music. Ove Johansson started playing the tenor saxophone at the age of 13, giving the clarinet a chance for a couple of years. He got into a jazz group playing professionally very early. He very early started his own groups and has most of the time been a band leader. For a short period he was sideman of Lars Gullin, Swedish saxophone player. 1972 -1994 he was teacher of saxophone, improvisation, ensemble and harmony at the School of Music, Gothenburg University. Started his own small record label LJ Records 1989 presenting his own and new Scandinavian jazz music internationally, until now 48 titles. Has been awarded several art grants over the years. Also do soloperformances with saxophone, EWI and computer and tours with live electronics with the trio Natural Artefacts.