
Jonas Knutsson
“Knutsson is one of the most expressive saxophonists playing today.” – All About Jazz
One of Country & Eastern’s most important artists.
“Combine this with his flawless technique and Knutsson becomes an artist in the Liszt tradition. His playing may not be dramatic as Liszt’s was, but with deep—often aching—emotion he is able to summon feelings from the very depths of his soul. This might put Knutsson in the same league that was once occupied only by Charlie Parker and John Coltrane—not only in terms of sheer mastery of technique, but also when it comes to innovation and creativity. Geographically challenged Americans might cry blasphemy, but then they probably did when Gismonti arrived on the scene too.” – Raul da Gama





















Jonas bio:
Jonas Knutsson bio: Swedish soprano, alto, baritone, sopranino saxophonist and composer Jonas Knutsson was born in Umeå, 1965. He began playing alto saxophone in the local music school and with the local wind band in the mid seventies. One early inspirator was saxophonist Sahib Shihab who Jonas met several times during summer jazz workshops. 1980 he became a member of the jazz rock group Cabazz, based in Umeå at that time. In 1981 he moved to Skellefteå for musical studies and got involved in a project with traditional sami yoik singing. This created a fascination for folk music and the luminiscent melodies of the north. Since his move to Stockholm in 1983 he has worked with a number of groups, artists and projects within jazz, fusion and folk music. Some examples are: Mynta, Elise Einarsdotter Ensemble, Encore, Enteli, Nordan, Jonas Knutsson Band, Triptyk, Stockholm Folk Big Band, Världsorkestern, and Bertrand Renaudin’s Larbre Voyage, Berger Knutsson Spering, Beches Brew and Cool Funeral Beer.
Norrland, Horn Please and more
Jonas and guitarist Johan Norberg have the formation ”Norrland”. They have released 3 CD:s on the german label ACT and toured all over europe. He leads Horn Please and Jonas Knutsson Quartet and records and tours with Belgian composer/pianist/singer Mathilde Renault and Maroccan percussionist Khalid Kouhen as well as with Nils Landgren. He has also been teaching in the conservatory in Stockholm where he conducted a world music big band in the folk music department among other things.
Artist of the Year 2011
Jonas’ album Blåslåtar was nominated for a grammy 2011 and Jonas himself was nominated for the Artist of the Year 2011 award at the Folk and Worldmusic-Gala in Gothenburg, Sweden. In 2015 he is featured on two C&E albums, Beches Brew BIG and Beches Brew BAG and in 2016 on two more, Blue Blue w Berger Knutsson Spering Schultz and Orsa by Night, a duo album w poet/musician Thomas Tidholm. In 2017 He is an essential part of Beches Indian Brew and leads his own Jonas Knutsson Quartet.
In March 2019 Jonas receivied a HUGE prize of 250.000 SEK!
Swedish National Treasure No 5:

Since 2022 Jonas is managing Umeå Jazz Festival, the biggest in Sweden

Berger Knutsson Spering
The wish to release an album with the group Berger Knutsson Spering was what actually triggered the start of the Country and Eastern label in 2005 and Jonas is featured on quite a few of our albums.

Berger Knutsson Spering



At Lycka Chamber Music Festival









Jonas’ albums on Country & Eastern:
On CD
CE03 Berger Knutsson Spering & Friends: See You in a Minute – memories of Don Cherry.
CE04 Berger Knutsson Spering: Up Close
CE08 Jonas Knutsson: Horn Please!
CE10 Jonas Knutsson & Mats Öberg: LIVE!
CE12 The Party Band: Country & Eastern Christmas
CE13: Bengt Berger: Beches Brew
CE15 Haci Tekbilek: Türlü
CE16: Jonas Knutsson: Blåslåtar
CE25 Willemark, Knutsson, Öberg
CE27 Beches Brew – BIG
CE34:Berger Knutsson Spering Schultz: Blue Blue
CE35: Thomas Tidholm – Jonas Knutsson: Orsa By Night
CE38: Beches Indian Brew
Digital albums on C&E:
CEX01 See You In A Minute – The Extra Takes
CEX05 Up Close – Extra Takes
CEX10 Horn Please – Extra Takes
CEX17 Beches Brew – BAG
CEX33 Viltvarning – Live at Fasching 2002
CEX37 COOL FUNERAL BEER – DAY 1 – The Final Ancestor Shrine
On associated labels:
AMCD738 Enteli Live
AMCD880, BKS – Om Natten
AMCD889, BKS – Live at Glenn Miller vol 1
AMCD890, BKS – Live at Glenn Miller vol 2
AMCD885 Old School – All Time High
Impala007, Mäkelä BKS – Arco Iris
GAFCD_1114 BeFive
Other albums with Jonas Knutsson

Cool Funeral Beer – Day 1 – The Creation Of The Final Ancestor Shrine
[CEX37]

Viltvarning – Live At Fasching 2002
[CEX33]

Beches Indian Brew
[CE38]

Orsa By Night
[CE35]

Blue Blue
[CE34]

Beches Brew Bag
[CEX17]

Beches Brew Big
[CE27]

Alla Drömmars Sång
[CE25]

Be Five: Blues For E.d.
[2012·GAFCD 1114]

Türlü
[CE15]

Beches Brew
[CE13]

Live
[CE10]

Blåslåtar
[CE16]

Another Swedish Christmas – Country & Easterns Julskiva
[CE12]

Horn Please – Extra Takes
[CEX10]

Horn Please
[CE08]

Up Close
[CE04]

Up Close – Extra Takes
[CEX05]

See You In A Minute – Memories Of Don Cherry
[CE03]

See You In A Minute – the extra takes
[CEX01]

Arco Iris
[2003·IMPALA007]

Live Vol. 2 At Mosebacke
[2001·AMCD890]

All Time High
[2001·AMCD885]

Live Vol. 1 At Glenn Miller Café
[2001·AMCD889]

1999 Eilert Pilarm & Partybandet Live In Stockholm
[EPCD1]

Om Natten
[1997·AMCD880]

Enteli Live
[1997·AMCD738]

1995 Sagan Om Ringen (lord Of The Rings)
[1995·SRSRPROF637]

Enteli
[1994·PSCD77]

Vyer – View
[1992·CAP21426]

From Fasching With Love (swedish Jazz Live)
[1992·PSCD61]