Swedish independent label for jazz and improvised music

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Cennet Jönsson

Cennet Jönsson - soprano and tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, composer

- born in 1956
- educated at the Music Conservatory in Malmö, Sweden
- resident in Lund, Sweden

- leader of Cennet Jönsson Quartet and Triple Bass Fantasy

- co-leader with Maggi Olin of the nonet Relay Orchestra and with Scott Stroman of the International sextet Stroman/Jönsson Project

- performs in Meloscope, Tolvan Big Band, Double Standards, Mats Holtne Trio , Operajazz and in Cenlistho; a newly formed Scandinavian trio with basist Thommy Andersson and percussionist Lisbeth Diers

- has performed and recorded with Billy Cobham in the group North by Northwest with tours in 15 European countries, and with such greats as Dizzy Gillespie, Michael Brecker, Dave Liebman, Kenny Wheeler, John Taylor, Daniel Humair, Kenny Werner, Dean Brown, Gary Husband, Stan Sulzmann, Palle Mikkelborg, Nikki Iles, Lelo Nika, Niels Henning Örsted-Pedersen, Lena Willemark and many Scandinavian artists.


In 2004 Cennet Jönsson composed Rain Music –  a big piece for saxophone, string quartet, brass trio and jazz ensemble - commissioned by  the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Here's some other big pieces composed by Cennet:

• Tarantula Suite (09') for big band, 1st performance by Tolvan Big Band at Victoriatetern in Malmö, Sweden on April 14 in 2009

• Relay (06') for nonet, a collaboration with pianist Maggi Olin

• Scanian Suite (99') for jazz quartet and string orchestra, a collaboration with Mats Rondin and the Huaröd Chamber Orchestra

• Brass and Rhythm (98') co-lead with drummer and composer  Peter Danemo

• Ten Pieces (-94) for a ten-piece band, commissioned by the Lund International Jazzfestival

Cennet Jönsson was voted "the best jazz-composer of the year" by the Swedish National Radio in 2007.

Cennet is also one of the leading educators in Sweden. He is specialised in saxophone/ bass clarinet, improvisation and combos and he has had a number of  International  teaching assignments all over the world in countries like Denmark, Norway, Finland, France, England, Austria, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Israel, Senegal, South Africa, Mozambique, China, Uruguay, USA and Australia. Cennet has been a reprensentative for the IASJ (International Association of Schools of Jazz) for many years. He is currently teaching on a regular basis in the Malmö Conservatory and at the Fridhem Music School in Sweden.

Selected recordings:

"Cennet is a mature musical thinker, writer and player and he has come up with captivating creative vehicles."
- Michael Brecker

"Cennet makes the soprano saxophone sing. He is one of a few artists worldwide who are elevating the soprano to a higher level than previously."
- David Liebman