Palle Danielsson obit

In Memoriam: Palle Danielsson

 

He was not on the list.

Another jazz bass giant has left us with the passing of Palle Danielsson. He was 77 years old.

The Swedish bassist was born in Stockholm and raised in a musical family. He began playing professionally when he was just 15 years old and began working with Scandinavian musicians like Eje Thelin, Bobo Stenson, and Jan Garabek.

He is perhaps best known for his stint as a member of Keith Jarrett’s “European Quartet” from 1974 to 1979. He recorded five albums with the pianist, including Belonging, My Song, Personal Mountains, Nude Ants, and Sleeper.

The rest of his C.V. is brimming with top-tier talent: Bill Evans, Kenny Wheeler, Michel Petrucciani, Peter Erskine, Ben Webster, John Taylor, and more. He also had a solid career as a leader with solo albums, beginning with 1994’s Contra Post.

Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Palle Danielsson.

Danielsson's childhood was an especially musical one; his first instrument was the harmonica, which he started playing at the age of two. By age eight he was playing violin, which he continued to play and study for about five years. Around this time he became he interested in jazz music and started to play double bass. By the time he was fifteen, Danielsson was playing professionally. Having studied at the Stockholm Royal Academy of Music (1962–1966), he began to play with Scandinavian musicians such as Eje Thelin, Bobo Stenson, and Jan Garbarek and took up international collaborations, e.g. with Lee Konitz and Steve Kuhn.

Danielsson has worked with Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Kenny Wheeler, Geri Allen, Michel Petrucciani, Charles Lloyd, Peter Erskine, Elvin Jones, Ben Webster, Charlie Shavers, George Russell, Albert Mangelsdorff, Enrico Rava, Collin Walcott, Tomasz Stańko, and John Taylor. He has also led and co-led several bands in Sweden, and released several recordings.

He was the brother of pianist Monica Dominique.