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Jan Garbarek

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A new box set of early albums captures Jan Garbarek's forming saxophone sound — austere and astringent. Roberto Massoti/ECM Records hide caption

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Roberto Massoti/ECM Records

Review

Music Reviews

How Jan Garbarek Came To Epitomize Nordic Jazz

Fresh Air

August 15, 2012 • Garbarek helped the ECM label find its emerging voice 40 years ago. A new box set of early albums captures the saxophonist's forming sound — austere and astringent.

How Jan Garbarek Came To Epitomize Nordic Jazz

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Hilliard Ensemble: Improvising With Jan Garbarek

The Hilliard Ensemble and Jan Garbarek (center) say they decide nothing before playing a piece. © Paolo Soriani/ECM Records hide caption

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Music Interviews

Hilliard Ensemble: Improvising With Jan Garbarek

November 5, 2010 • A choral group known for its early-music repertoire and a saxophonist steeped in the art of improvisation may not be the most likely musical partners. But the Hilliard Ensemble and Jan Garbarek have worked together since 1993. Officium Novum is their latest collaboration.

Hilliard Ensemble: Improvising With Jan Garbarek

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Buerbrae Glacier, Odde, Hardanger Fjord, Norway. Library of Congress via flickr.com hide caption

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Library of Congress via flickr.com

Take Five: A Jazz Sampler

Songs Of The Fjords: Jazz From Norway

January 12, 2009 • In the 1960s, European musicians began to reinvent the occasionally strident sounds of American avant-garde jazz to suit their own ideas. Norway, in particular, produced its own distinct regional aesthetic — no doubt influenced by its icy landscape.

Music Lists

A Wintry Mix Without The Mistletoe

December 22, 2008 • Winter, more than any other season, has its own soundtrack: There's a nonstop loop of holiday tunes in every store you visit, and carolers in the town square. By the time late December rolls around, many people have had it. Author Tom Moon offers an alternative list of winter music.

A Wintry Mix Without The Mistletoe

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