Pianist and composer Harald Svensson is widely regarded as one of Sweden’s foremost improvisers on his instrument. He made his recording debut in the 1970s with the groundbreaking band EGBA and was for several years a key member of the Eje Thelin Group, with whom he toured extensively throughout Europe and the United States. He was also one of the founding members of the now cult-status jazz ensemble ENTRA.

Beyond this, he has had a long-standing collaboration with the Gothenburg Chamber Choir and conductor Gunnar Eriksson, and has toured with percussionist Okay Temiz’s Oriental Wind, Nils Landgren, Mikael Ramel, Fläsket Brinner, Peps Blodsband, among others. In 2002, he co-founded Priming Orchestra together with Staffan Svensson, Johannes Lundberg, and Chris Montgomery.

In recent years, Svensson has deepened his exploration of the borderland between composition and free improvisation — a pursuit vividly reflected in the album Sketches and Fancies (2019). The ensemble on that recording features Harald himself along with Nina de Heney, Karin Wiberg, Eva Lindal, Emma Augustsson, Staffan Svensson, Isak Hedtjärn, Niclas Rydh, Signe Lykkebo Dahlgreen, and Henrik Wartel.

His engagement with the free jazz venue Brötz in Gothenburg is another vital part of his musical life. In addition, he has enjoyed a long and fruitful collaboration with dancer and choreographer Carmen Olsson, composing the music for seven full-length productions between 2011 and 2021.

In 1998, he was named Swedish Jazz Musician of the Year — an award that included a recording opportunity and resulted in the critically acclaimed album Vanished into the Blue. In 2012, he was honored as special guest at the Umeå Jazz Festival, further cementing his reputation as one of Sweden’s most distinguished musical voices.

 

Awards and Grants (selection)

  • Guest of Honour, Umeå Jazz Festival (2012)

  • Grant from the Olle Adolphson Memorial Fund, Royal Swedish Academy of Music (2020)

  • Jan Tolf Memorial Fund Grant (2022)

  • Adlerbertska Foundation Grant for Artistic Research (2025)

  • Recurring grants from the Swedish Arts Grants Committee since 1975, including a five-year working grant (2009–2014)

Discography as Leader (selection)

  • Tractus (Amigo 1976)
  • Piano (Dragon 1984)
  • Vanished Into The Blue. (Caprice, Jazz i Sverige 1998)
  • Priming Orchestra (GAC 2006)
  • Deep Blue (GAC 2010)
  • Undecet. Sketches an Fancies (Footprints 2019)
  • Klara Ahlersten & Harald Svensson duo. Mitt liv (Kakafon Records 2025)
  • Trio HPA (Soda Music 2025)
  • Quator (Soda Music 2025)

Discography as Sideman (selection)

  • Egba (Grammofonverket 1974)
  • Eje Thelin Group (Caprice, Jazz i Sverige 1974)
  • Resa, Cozy Square (Sonett 1975)
  • Eje Theli Group Live-76 (Caprice)
  • Häxmjölk, Eskimo Heat (Metronome 1976)
  • Egba, Live at Montmartre (Sonett 1977)
  • Egba, Amigos Latinos (Sonett 1978)
  • Eje Thelin Group, Hypothesis (Musicians Record 1978)
  • Eje Thelin, Bits & Pieses (Phono Suecia 1980)
  • Resa, Lycklig Mardröm (Caprice 1980)
  • Entra Camaleon (Caprice, Jazz i Sverige 1981)
  • Entra Live (Dragon 1983)
  • Entra Love (Dragon 1984)
  • Entra Lust (Discreet 1986)
  • Anders Jormin, Eight Pieces Dragon 1988)
  • Entra Live Lights (Timeless 1989)
  • Entra, Ballet (LJ-records 1992)
  • Anders Jormin, Jord (Dragon 1995)
  • Entra In Consert (LJ-records 1998)
  • Dan Berglund, Liv och Dikt (Kakafon Records 2024)