Esbjörn Svensson
Encyclopedia
Esbjörn Svensson was a jazz
pianist and founder of the jazz group Esbjörn Svensson Trio
, commonly known as E.S.T. Svensson became one of Europe's most successful jazz musicians at the turn of the 21st century before dying at the age of 44 in a scuba diving accident.
, for four years.
In 1990, Svensson started his own jazz combo with his childhood friend Magnus Öström on percussion. Both had made their first appearances on stage as sidemen in the Swedish and Danish jazz scene during the 1980s. In 1993, bassist Dan Berglund joined the duo, and the Esbjörn Svensson Trio was born. The trio released its debut album, When Everyone Has Gone, in 1993, and in the following years established itself in the Nordic jazz scene. Svensson was nominated for Swedish Jazz Musician of the Year in 1995 and 1996.
(2000) and Strange Place For Snow
(2002), the trio drew the attention of United States
audiences. In 2002, they went on a 9-month tour through Europe, the U.S. and Japan. Their subsequent albums, Seven Days Of Falling
(2003), Viaticum (2005), and Tuesday Wonderland (2006), were equally well received by critics and fans and resulted in several music industry award nominations as well as making the jazz and pop charts.
E.S.T. was the first European jazz combo to make the front page of the American jazz magazine Down Beat
(May 2006 issue). Their last live album, E.S.T. Live in Hamburg, a recording of their fall 2006 concert in Hamburg
, Germany
, as part of the Tuesday Wonderland Tour, was released in November 2007. Before Svensson's death, the trio was working on the concept of integrating electronic and mechanical sound expansions into a jazz trio context. E.S.T.'s last performance took place in Moscow
, Russia
, at the Tchaikovsky Hall, on May 30, 2008. In addition to his work with E.S.T., Svensson recorded albums with Nils Landgren and Viktoria Tolstoy
.
On June 14, 2008, Svensson went missing during a scuba diving
session on Ingarö
outside Stockholm
, Sweden
. His diving companions eventually found him lying unconscious on the seabed. Having sustained serious injuries, he was rushed to Karolinska University Hospital
by helicopter, but could not be saved. He was 44 years old, married and the father of two sons.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
pianist and founder of the jazz group Esbjörn Svensson Trio
Esbjörn Svensson Trio
Esbjörn Svensson Trio was a Swedish jazz piano trio formed in 1993 consisting of Esbjörn Svensson , Dan Berglund and Magnus Öström . Its music has classical, rock, pop, and techno elements. It lists classical composer Béla Bartók and rock band Radiohead as influences...
, commonly known as E.S.T. Svensson became one of Europe's most successful jazz musicians at the turn of the 21st century before dying at the age of 44 in a scuba diving accident.
Early life and work
Svensson was introduced to both classical music and jazz very early in life through his mother, a classical pianist, and his father, a jazz enthusiast, and first showed interest in classical music. In his teenage years, he developed an interest in rock music and started a few garage bands with classmates, before going back to classical music and finally making his way towards jazz. At age 16, Svensson went to a music college, where he took piano lessons. He later studied at the Royal College of Music, StockholmRoyal College of Music, Stockholm
The Royal College of Music, Stockholm is the oldest institution of higher education in music in Sweden, founded in 1771 as the conservatory of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music...
, for four years.
In 1990, Svensson started his own jazz combo with his childhood friend Magnus Öström on percussion. Both had made their first appearances on stage as sidemen in the Swedish and Danish jazz scene during the 1980s. In 1993, bassist Dan Berglund joined the duo, and the Esbjörn Svensson Trio was born. The trio released its debut album, When Everyone Has Gone, in 1993, and in the following years established itself in the Nordic jazz scene. Svensson was nominated for Swedish Jazz Musician of the Year in 1995 and 1996.
Rise to prominence, success, and death
The trio's international breakthrough came with their 1999 album From Gagarin’s Point Of View, their first album to be released outside Scandinavia. With the release of their albums Good Morning Susie SohoGood Morning Susie Soho
Good Morning Susie Soho is a studio album by Swedish group Esbjörn Svensson Trio, released in September 2000 on Sony BMG. The album peaked at No. 15 on the Swedish Sverigetopplistan album chart...
(2000) and Strange Place For Snow
Strange Place for Snow
Strange Place for Snow is an album by Esbjörn Svensson Trio. -Track listing: # "The Message" – 5:16# "Serenade For The Renegade" – 4:30# "Strange Place For Snow" – 6:44# "Behind The Yashmak" – 10:30# "Bound For The Beauty Of The South" – 5:10...
(2002), the trio drew the attention of United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
audiences. In 2002, they went on a 9-month tour through Europe, the U.S. and Japan. Their subsequent albums, Seven Days Of Falling
Seven Days of Falling
Seven Days of Falling is a 2003 jazz album by Esbjörn Svensson Trio . The album had the unusual distinction charting on both the top jazz and popular music albums charts....
(2003), Viaticum (2005), and Tuesday Wonderland (2006), were equally well received by critics and fans and resulted in several music industry award nominations as well as making the jazz and pop charts.
E.S.T. was the first European jazz combo to make the front page of the American jazz magazine Down Beat
Down Beat
Down Beat is an American magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond" to indicate its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chicago, Illinois...
(May 2006 issue). Their last live album, E.S.T. Live in Hamburg, a recording of their fall 2006 concert in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, as part of the Tuesday Wonderland Tour, was released in November 2007. Before Svensson's death, the trio was working on the concept of integrating electronic and mechanical sound expansions into a jazz trio context. E.S.T.'s last performance took place in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, at the Tchaikovsky Hall, on May 30, 2008. In addition to his work with E.S.T., Svensson recorded albums with Nils Landgren and Viktoria Tolstoy
Viktoria Tolstoy
Louise Viktoria Tolstoy is a Swedish jazz singer. She is the daughter of Erik Kjellberg, and the great-great-granddaughter of writer Leo Tolstoy.- Discography :...
.
On June 14, 2008, Svensson went missing during a scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
session on Ingarö
Ingarö
Ingarö is an island in Värmdö Municipality, Stockholm County. The chief settlement is called Brunn. With an area of 63 km2, it is the 16th biggest island in Sweden. Petroglyphs indicate that the island has been inhabited since the Nordic Bronze Age. For most of the 20th century the resident...
outside Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. His diving companions eventually found him lying unconscious on the seabed. Having sustained serious injuries, he was rushed to Karolinska University Hospital
Karolinska University Hospital
The Karolinska University Hospital is a university hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, with two major sites in the municipalities of Huddinge and Solna....
by helicopter, but could not be saved. He was 44 years old, married and the father of two sons.
Selected discography
- When Everyone Has Gone (1993) Dragon
- E.S.T. Live '95 (1995, released in Sweden as Mr. & Mrs. Handkerchief) ACT Music + Vision
- Winter in VeniceWinter in VeniceWinter in Venice is a studion album by Swedish jazz band Esbjörn Svensson Trio , released in 1997. It was awarded the Swedish Grammy in 1998 for Best Jazz Album.-Track listing:#"Calling Home"#"Winter In Venice"#"At Saturday"...
(1997) Superstudio GUL - Esbjörn Svensson Trio Plays Monk (1998) Superstudio GUL
- From Gagarin's Point of View (1999) Superstudio GUL
- Good Morning Susie SohoGood Morning Susie SohoGood Morning Susie Soho is a studio album by Swedish group Esbjörn Svensson Trio, released in September 2000 on Sony BMG. The album peaked at No. 15 on the Swedish Sverigetopplistan album chart...
(2000) Superstudio GUL - Somewhere Else Before (U.S. compilation from From Gagarin's Point of View and Good Morning Susie Soho, 2001)
- Strange Place for SnowStrange Place for SnowStrange Place for Snow is an album by Esbjörn Svensson Trio. -Track listing: # "The Message" – 5:16# "Serenade For The Renegade" – 4:30# "Strange Place For Snow" – 6:44# "Behind The Yashmak" – 10:30# "Bound For The Beauty Of The South" – 5:10...
(2002) Superstudio GUL - Seven Days of Falling (2003) Superstudio GUL
- Live in Stockholm (2003) Spamboolimbo Productions AB, DVD, recorded December 10, 2000 - including videos and an interview
- Viaticum (2005) Spamboolimbo Productions AB
- Tuesday Wonderland (2006) Spamboolimbo Productions AB
- Live in Hamburg (2007) Spamboolimbo Productions AB
- Leucocyte (2008) Spamboolimbo Productions AB