JOn Balke biography
JON BALKE biography
Jon Balke (born 1955 in Norway), pianist, keyboardplayer, composer,
arranger, percussionist, has been professionally active active since
1974, when he joined Arild Andersens group in a studio session for the
german ECM label. Since then his musical life has moved through several stages:
Co-leader or leader of of several groups in Scandinavia, among others:
E´OLEN a collaboration with west-african musicians(1978-1988),
SURDU a trio inspired by ethnic sounds(1977-1979)
OSLO 13, a 13-piece composers orchestra (1980-1993)
MASQUALERO a quintet with Jon Christensen, Nils Petter Molvær, Tore Brunborg and Arild Andersen.
JØKLEBA with Audun Kleive and Per Jørgensen
MAGNETIC NORTH ORCHESTRA chamber ensemble
BATAGRAF percussion ensemble
POINT4 "double duo" with 2 pianos 2 percussionists
SIWAN with Amina Aaloui /Jon Hassell/Mona Boutchebak/Derya Turkan
Extensive compositional works for a vast variety of ensembles and projects
like ballets, theatre plays, symphony orchestras, singers, and jazz ensembles.
He has collaborated with visual artists like Kjell Bjorgeengen, Tone Myskja, Francesco Scavetta, Giorgio Rossi etc.
His history as musician include accompanying singers like
Radka Toneff, Sidsel Endresen, Anne Li Drecker, Karin Krogh, and Trine Lise Vaering, as well as live and studio sessions with people like Archie Shepp, Jon Hassell, John Surman, Airto Moreira/Flora Purim, Michael Urbaniak, Enrico Rava, George Russell, Paolo Fresu, Nguyen Le, Marilyn Mazur, etc.
Selected recordings:
"Nonsentration" ECM
"Further" ECM
"Solarized" Emarcy
"Diverted Travels" ECM
"Statements"ECM
"Book of velocities" ECM
“SIWAN” ECM records 2009
“Warp” ECM records 2016
“Nahnou Houm” Siwan ECM records 2017
“Delights of Decay” with Batagraf Jazzland Records 2018
“Discourses” Jon Balke solo ECM records 2020
“Hafla” Siwan ECM 2022
