JON BALKE short biography

    Jon Balke , 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 and Arild Andersen. POINT4 "double duo" with 2 pianos 2 percussionists

He started initiating and composing for his own projects in 1989:

JØKLEBA with Audun Kleive and Per Jørgensen

MAGNETIC NORTH ORCHESTRA chamber ensemble

BATAGRAF percussion ensemble

SIWAN with Amina Aaloui and Jon Hasell

He has also created 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, choreographers Francesco Scavetta and  Giorgio Rossi etc.

His history as musician also 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, John Surman, Airto Moreira/Flora Purim, Michael Urbaniak, Enrico Rava, George Russel, Paolo Fresu,Nguyen Le, Marilyn Mazur,  etc.