Jens Johansson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jens Johansson
Johansson performing with Stratovarius in 2023
Background information
Born	(1963-11-02) 2 November 1963 (age 61) Stockholm, Sweden
Died	Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day
Genres	Power metal, symphonic metal, neoclassical metal, heavy metal, jazz fusion
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Keyboards, synthesizers, piano
Years active	1982–present
Associated acts	Stratovarius, Cain's Offering, Yngwie Malmsteen, Dio, Rainbow, Johansson (The Johansson Brothers)

Jens Ola Johansson was born in Stockholm, Sweden, on November 2, 1963. He is a talented Swedish keyboardist and pianist. In the early 1980s, he and his brother Anders, who plays drums, worked with guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen on his album Rising Force.

Jens's father, Jan Johansson, was a famous Swedish jazz pianist. Jens has also worked with the guitar player Allan Holdsworth. Today, Jens plays keyboards for the Finnish power metal band Stratovarius and Ritchie Blackmore's rock project Rainbow. He is known for playing very fast and with great skill in styles like neoclassical music, jazz fusion, and rock.

Jens Johansson's Musical Journey

Jens Johansson is the son of Swedish jazz pianist Jan Johansson and the brother of Anders Johansson, who used to be the drummer for the band HammerFall. Jens was inspired by classic rock keyboard players like Don Airey, Eddie Jobson, and Jon Lord.

In 1982, Jens, who had classical music training, left his jazz fusion band called Slem. He then joined a Swedish metal band named Silver Mountain, where his brother Anders also played.

Joining Yngwie Malmsteen and Dio

In 1983, Jens moved from Sweden to California. There, he joined guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen's band, Rising Force. He played on many albums and went on world tours with Malmsteen until 1989.

After that, Jens also played with the band Dio between 1989 and 1990. Like his brother Anders, he started working with Jonas Hellborg in 1989. This led to several progressive and avant-garde recordings. These included Dissident, Unseen Rain (an acoustic piano album with Ginger Baker on drums), and the progressive fusion album E.

The Johansson Brothers and Solo Work

In 1993, Jens helped start a progressive blues metal project called The Johansson Brothers. They recorded a self-titled album. In 1996, with a different group of musicians, they recorded another album, Sonic Winter. This time, they used the name "Johansson," and Yngwie Malmsteen played guitar as a special guest.

The last Johansson album, The Last Viking, was more focused on "European metal." It was released in 1999 and featured special guests Michael Romeo and Göran Edman.

Jens has also released several instrumental solo albums. These include Fjäderlösa Tvåfotingar, Ten Seasons (a piano solo album), Heavy Machinery (with Anders and Allan Holdsworth), and Fission (with Anders, Shawn Lane, and Mike Stern). He has also collaborated with many other artists and bands, including Mastermind.

Joining Stratovarius

Jens helped create Heptagon Records to release his own music and that of other musicians, like guitarist Benny Jansson and bassist Magnus Rosén. Jens tried out for the band Dream Theater in 1994 after their keyboardist Kevin Moore left. However, because the band took a long time to decide, Jens instead joined the Finnish power metal band Stratovarius.

Since 1995, he has been a member of Stratovarius. He continues to release solo albums and appear as a guest musician on other projects. Jens is also interested in computers. He started with an Atari ST computer and has even written software using the C language and his own website using Perl. He doesn't think he is one of the best keyboardists in the world, believing many others are even better.

Jens Johansson's Equipment

Jens Johansson has used many different types of keyboards and synthesizers during his career. Some of his favorites include the Korg Polysix, the Yamaha DX7 (which he uses as a MIDI controller), the Oberheim Matrix Series, and the Roland JV-1080 sound module. He also really likes the Hammond Organ.

Jens is a big fan of computers and has used Steinberg programs like Cubase for a long time. His album Fission is a good example of his interest in computers, as it has many special effects and sound experiments. His unique lead sound comes from making the Polysix sound on the JV1080, then running it through an early amp simulation/distortion pedal called the JD-10 by Morley.

More recently, he has been using a PC-based system with a Lenovo Laptop Computer for both recording and live performances. He also uses the JV1080 as a backup during live shows.

Band Membership Timeline

Studio Albums and Collaborations

Jens Johansson has played on many studio albums throughout his career, both with his main bands and as a guest musician. Here is a list of some of the albums he has contributed to:

See also

In Spanish: Jens Johansson para niños