Karl Jenkins: Biography

• Overview
• Discography
• Biography
• Related Artists

• Michel Berckmans

• Mike Oldfield
• Ian Carr
• Mike Ratledge

• Nucleus
• Soft Machine

• Adiemus
• Mike Ratledge
• Brian Smith
• Paul Clarvis
• John Marshall
• Mary Carewe
• Miriam Stockley

Born:

Feb 17, 1944 in Swansea, Wales

Genres:

Music, New Age Music, Meditation/Relaxation, Rock Music, Progressive Rock Music, Classical Music, Celtic New Age Music, Ethnic Fusion New Age Music

Decades Active:

1960's|1970's|1980's|1990's|2000's

Composer, arranger, keyboardist and woodwinds player Karl Jenkins fell in with the London jazz scene of the late '60s while studying at the Royal Acedemy of Music. Prior to spending over a decade in the last incarnations of Soft Machine, he spent time in a number of jazz groups, along with the Graham Collier Band and Nucleus; he also leant his services to recording sessions and tours for PJ Proby and Scott Walker.

Along with John Marshall, the Welshman navigated Soft Machine through most of the '70s, which saw the group developing their sound significantly away from their earlier years. After the band decided to call it quits, Jenkins turned to film, TV, theater, and orchestra work. In the '90s, he spearheaded Adiemus, a studio project that released a series acclaimed ethno-classical discs. He has recorded under his own name as well, including 1998's Imagined Oceans.

- Andy Kellman, All Music Guide