Bengt Hallberg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bengt Hallberg
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Bengt Hallberg in October 2011
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| Background information | |
| Born | 13 September 1932 Göteborg, Sweden |
| Died | 2 July 2013 (aged 80) Uppsala, Sweden |
| Genres | jazz |
| Occupation(s) | composer, musician |
| Instruments | piano |
Bengt Hallberg (born September 13, 1932 – died July 2, 2013) was a very talented Swedish jazz musician. He was best known as a pianist, but he also composed music and arranged songs for others.
Bengt started playing classical piano when he was very young. By the age of 13, he was already writing his own jazz arrangements! He recorded his first music at 15. Soon after, in 1949, he began playing with Swedish alto saxophonist Arne Domnérus. They played together for many years.
Playing with Jazz Stars
During the 1950s, Bengt Hallberg had the chance to play with some of the biggest American jazz musicians who visited Sweden. He recorded a famous song called "Dear Old Stockholm" with tenor saxophonist Stan Getz. He also played with alto player Lee Konitz in 1951.
In 1953, he worked with trumpeters Clifford Brown and Quincy Jones. Quincy Jones, who later became a very famous producer, had his first recorded song arrangement feature Bengt Hallberg. Bengt also played with Lars Gullin, another important Swedish jazz musician. Both Bengt and Lars were part of the "Cool Jazz" style in Sweden. This style was influenced by American musicians like pianist Lennie Tristano, who Bengt really admired.
A Versatile Musician
Bengt Hallberg had a very flexible and varied musical style. As he got older, he wrote music for movies and television shows. He also created arrangements for choirs. Not only did he play the piano, but he was also skilled at playing the accordion!
In December 1976, Bengt took part in the famous Jazz at the Pawnshop recording sessions. He played alongside Arne Domnérus and Georg Riedel. People who heard him play at these sessions said that even though he was usually a very careful and precise player, the exciting atmosphere made him play with amazing energy.
Bengt Hallberg passed away in 2013 due to heart problems. He left behind a wonderful collection of jazz music.
Selected Recordings
Bengt Hallberg recorded many albums throughout his career, both as the main artist and as a supporting musician. Some of his notable recordings include:
- New Sounds from Sweden, Vol. 2 (1950–51)
- Bengt Hallberg Quartet (1952)
- Jazz at the Pawnshop (1976) – a very popular live recording.
- Hallberg's Hot Accordion (1980–81) – where he showed his accordion skills.
- Bengt Hallberg in New York (1982) – featuring American jazz stars.
- Solo (2012) – one of his last solo piano recordings.
He also played on important albums with other jazz legends:
- With Stan Getz: Stan Getz in Stockholm (1955) and Imported from Europe (1958).
- With Quincy Jones: Jazz Abroad (1955) and Quincy's Home Again (1958).
See also
In Spanish: Bengt Hallberg para niños
