Björn J:son Lindh

Swedish Flautist and Composer

Swedish composer, arranger, pianist, flautist and painter, born October 25, 1944 in Arvika, Sweden, died December 21, 2013 in Nora, Sweden, where he then lived with his 2nd wife since 2009. He played lots of styles, ranging from fusion, progressive rock and jazz with mainly North African influences, to classical chamber and symphonic music, as well as composing for theatre, TV and movies. His career started when he played the saxophone in a local dance band in Arvika, aged 14. In 1962 he began his musical education at what today is known as Ingesund College of Music, just outside of his home in Arvika. 1963 - 1971 he studied the piano and flute solo playing at the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in Stockholm, while at the same time working as a session musician. He was engaged by Anders Burman (one of the three founders of Swedish record company Metronome in 1949) to work as a studio musician, while at the same time playing in several bands throughout the 70s, as well as releasing his first solo albums in 1971. He often worked with close friend Janne Schaffer, and had his biggest hit on radio in Sweden in 1980 with 'Brusa högre lilla å', a 7" single added to his 1980 album 'Våta vingar' in the last minute. Among many, many others, he also worked with Swedish electronic music pioneer Ralph Lundsten, classical pianist Staffan Scheja, progressive rock band Isildurs Bane, Nature (13), Cornelis Vreeswijk and Turid, as well as international artists like Mike Oldfield, Jan Akkerman and Jon Hiseman. He died in 2013 from the complications of a brain tumor.